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alexb
LIF Adult
Member since 5/13 960 total posts
Name:
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Any Kids taking the tests?
If anyone is interested in seeing/comparing their district's opt out rate...
http://libn.com/2016/04/07/li-opt-out-numbers-grow-more-than-two-thirds-in-some-districts/
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Posted 4/7/16 8:58 PM  |
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CurlyQ
Member since 6/07 2024 total posts
Name:
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Re: Any Kids taking the tests?
Posted by Chatham-Chick
Unless I'm mistaken, I didn't think they allowed parents or teachers to see a student's results from the multiple choice questions, only the extended answer questions.
I'll have to look into it and follow up on that.
You can get an itemization. Basically is tells you 40 perfect of questions about main idea were correct, etc. useless information if you don't have the test to review the results with.
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| Posted 4/7/16 8:58 PM |
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itsbabytime
LIF Adult
Member since 11/05 9644 total posts
Name:
Me
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Re: Any Kids taking the tests?
Posted by CurlyQ
A reading passage on todays 4th grade ELA is from "The Kite Fighters". Grade level equivalent...6.3!! Guided reading level, W
A reading passage on the 3rd Grade Test: Eating the Plates Grade equivalent 5.2, interest level 6-8th grade
Testing instructed students to use a planning page prior to writing their essay. Guess what? No planning page.
These sound like positive changes to me. Having a 3rd grader read a passage 2 grade levels above them, with an interest level of being 6-8th grade, and having a 4th grader read a passage on the 6th grade level.
Please explain how this helps a teacher understand the needs of their students?
Are there different versions of these tests? My son took the third grade ela today and he said this story "eating the plates" was not on his test? He told me what the three stories were and none of them were this one. This is freaking me out a bit so weird!
Message edited 4/7/2016 9:10:19 PM.
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| Posted 4/7/16 9:09 PM |
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Chatham-Chick
*********************
Member since 5/05 10311 total posts
Name:
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Re: Any Kids taking the tests?
Posted by itsbabytime
Posted by CurlyQ
A reading passage on todays 4th grade ELA is from "The Kite Fighters". Grade level equivalent...6.3!! Guided reading level, W
A reading passage on the 3rd Grade Test: Eating the Plates Grade equivalent 5.2, interest level 6-8th grade
Testing instructed students to use a planning page prior to writing their essay. Guess what? No planning page.
These sound like positive changes to me. Having a 3rd grader read a passage 2 grade levels above them, with an interest level of being 6-8th grade, and having a 4th grader read a passage on the 6th grade level.
Please explain how this helps a teacher understand the needs of their students?
Are there different versions of these tests? My son took the third grade ela today and he said this story "eating the plates" was not on his test? He told me what the three stories were and none of them were this one. This is freaking me out a bit so weird!
Yes, there are tests with different passages/questions.
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| Posted 4/7/16 9:12 PM |
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itsbabytime
LIF Adult
Member since 11/05 9644 total posts
Name:
Me
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Re: Any Kids taking the tests?
Posted by Chatham-Chick
Posted by itsbabytime
Posted by CurlyQ
A reading passage on todays 4th grade ELA is from "The Kite Fighters". Grade level equivalent...6.3!! Guided reading level, W
A reading passage on the 3rd Grade Test: Eating the Plates Grade equivalent 5.2, interest level 6-8th grade
Testing instructed students to use a planning page prior to writing their essay. Guess what? No planning page.
These sound like positive changes to me. Having a 3rd grader read a passage 2 grade levels above them, with an interest level of being 6-8th grade, and having a 4th grader read a passage on the 6th grade level.
Please explain how this helps a teacher understand the needs of their students?
Are there different versions of these tests? My son took the third grade ela today and he said this story "eating the plates" was not on his test? He told me what the three stories were and none of them were this one. This is freaking me out a bit so weird!
Yes, there are tests with different passages/questions.
Wait a minute - I thought every third grader in New York State takes the same ela test? In fact I assumed the tests for every grade level were uniform. Is that not right?
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| Posted 4/7/16 9:22 PM |
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CurlyQ
Member since 6/07 2024 total posts
Name:
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Re: Any Kids taking the tests?
Posted by itsbabytime
Posted by Chatham-Chick
Posted by itsbabytime
Posted by CurlyQ
A reading passage on todays 4th grade ELA is from "The Kite Fighters". Grade level equivalent...6.3!! Guided reading level, W
A reading passage on the 3rd Grade Test: Eating the Plates Grade equivalent 5.2, interest level 6-8th grade
Testing instructed students to use a planning page prior to writing their essay. Guess what? No planning page.
These sound like positive changes to me. Having a 3rd grader read a passage 2 grade levels above them, with an interest level of being 6-8th grade, and having a 4th grader read a passage on the 6th grade level.
Please explain how this helps a teacher understand the needs of their students?
Are there different versions of these tests? My son took the third grade ela today and he said this story "eating the plates" was not on his test? He told me what the three stories were and none of them were this one. This is freaking me out a bit so weird!
Yes, there are tests with different passages/questions.
Wait a minute - I thought every third grader in New York State takes the same ela test? In fact I assumed the tests for every grade level were uniform. Is that not right?
Not always the case. Not all reading selections are the same. Some have imbedded field testing selections. Some don't. Every year it's been like that. Different versions. Just read that particular test, had 4 versions.
Message edited 4/7/2016 9:33:55 PM.
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| Posted 4/7/16 9:27 PM |
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twicethefun
Loving life
Member since 7/06 4088 total posts
Name:
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Re: Any Kids taking the tests?
Posted by CurlyQ
Posted by Chatham-Chick
Unless I'm mistaken, I didn't think they allowed parents or teachers to see a student's results from the multiple choice questions, only the extended answer questions.
I'll have to look into it and follow up on that.
You can get an itemization. Basically is tells you 40 perfect of questions about main idea were correct, etc. useless information if you don't have the test to review the results with.
2 years ago my son got a 2 in math. I made an appointment and the principal reviewed test with me. They provide you with an itemized list that will match up to the test easily so you can review the actual questions as long as they are released. It was easy to find a pattern with my son's errors. There were a few questions I could not see because they were not released, but it was very useful and the notes on our meeting were reviewed with his teacher. Also, I was allowed to view one of his actual books, I believe book two which they will mail to your administration if you put in a request in writing. This is your right.
In order to do this you must request a meeting with your principal stating you want to see it. She must put the request in and it may take time for her to get all the information and materials. If your principal denies you this right, you can always bring up FERPA and they must attempt to get you all available information...which for me was a whole lot. My principal was very accommodating immediately without any mention of FERPA.
Message edited 4/7/2016 10:09:39 PM.
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| Posted 4/7/16 9:28 PM |
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itsbabytime
LIF Adult
Member since 11/05 9644 total posts
Name:
Me
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Re: Any Kids taking the tests?
Posted by CurlyQ
Posted by itsbabytime
Posted by Chatham-Chick
Posted by itsbabytime
Posted by CurlyQ
A reading passage on todays 4th grade ELA is from "The Kite Fighters". Grade level equivalent...6.3!! Guided reading level, W
A reading passage on the 3rd Grade Test: Eating the Plates Grade equivalent 5.2, interest level 6-8th grade
Testing instructed students to use a planning page prior to writing their essay. Guess what? No planning page.
These sound like positive changes to me. Having a 3rd grader read a passage 2 grade levels above them, with an interest level of being 6-8th grade, and having a 4th grader read a passage on the 6th grade level.
Please explain how this helps a teacher understand the needs of their students?
Are there different versions of these tests? My son took the third grade ela today and he said this story "eating the plates" was not on his test? He told me what the three stories were and none of them were this one. This is freaking me out a bit so weird!
Yes, there are tests with different passages/questions.
Wait a minute - I thought every third grader in New York State takes the same ela test? In fact I assumed the tests for every grade level were uniform. Is that not right?
Not always the case. Not all reading selections are the same. Some have imbedded field testing selections. Some don't. Every year it's been like that. Different versions.
That is crazy. I had absolutely no idea. I don't think most people do. That doesn't seem fair at all. And doesn't it defeat some of the purpose if not every child in a grade level is taking the same test? I would be livid if my child had to read a super hard text when other kids in the grade level didn't! Are they all graded the same?
Message edited 4/7/2016 9:32:29 PM.
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| Posted 4/7/16 9:31 PM |
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CurlyQ
Member since 6/07 2024 total posts
Name:
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Re: Any Kids taking the tests?
Posted by itsbabytime
Posted by CurlyQ
Posted by itsbabytime
Posted by Chatham-Chick
Posted by itsbabytime
Posted by CurlyQ
A reading passage on todays 4th grade ELA is from "The Kite Fighters". Grade level equivalent...6.3!! Guided reading level, W
A reading passage on the 3rd Grade Test: Eating the Plates Grade equivalent 5.2, interest level 6-8th grade
Testing instructed students to use a planning page prior to writing their essay. Guess what? No planning page.
These sound like positive changes to me. Having a 3rd grader read a passage 2 grade levels above them, with an interest level of being 6-8th grade, and having a 4th grader read a passage on the 6th grade level.
Please explain how this helps a teacher understand the needs of their students?
Are there different versions of these tests? My son took the third grade ela today and he said this story "eating the plates" was not on his test? He told me what the three stories were and none of them were this one. This is freaking me out a bit so weird!
Yes, there are tests with different passages/questions.
Wait a minute - I thought every third grader in New York State takes the same ela test? In fact I assumed the tests for every grade level were uniform. Is that not right?
Not always the case. Not all reading selections are the same. Some have imbedded field testing selections. Some don't. Every year it's been like that. Different versions.
That is crazy. I had absolutely no idea. I don't think most people do. That doesn't seem fair at all. And doesn't it defeat some of the purpose if not every child in a grade level is taking the same test? I would be livid if my child had to read a super hard text when other kids in the grade level didn't! Are they all graded the same?
These tests are all sorts of crazy and don't make sense. That's why 220,000 opted out last year and even more will this year.
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| Posted 4/7/16 9:36 PM |
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CurlyQ
Member since 6/07 2024 total posts
Name:
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Re: Any Kids taking the tests?
Message edited 4/7/2016 9:51:13 PM.
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| Posted 4/7/16 9:41 PM |
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itsbabytime
LIF Adult
Member since 11/05 9644 total posts
Name:
Me
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Re: Any Kids taking the tests?
Posted by CurlyQ
Posted by itsbabytime
Posted by Chatham-Chick
Posted by itsbabytime
Posted by CurlyQ
A reading passage on todays 4th grade ELA is from "The Kite Fighters". Grade level equivalent...6.3!! Guided reading level, W
A reading passage on the 3rd Grade Test: Eating the Plates Grade equivalent 5.2, interest level 6-8th grade
Testing instructed students to use a planning page prior to writing their essay. Guess what? No planning page.
These sound like positive changes to me. Having a 3rd grader read a passage 2 grade levels above them, with an interest level of being 6-8th grade, and having a 4th grader read a passage on the 6th grade level.
Please explain how this helps a teacher understand the needs of their students?
Are there different versions of these tests? My son took the third grade ela today and he said this story "eating the plates" was not on his test? He told me what the three stories were and none of them were this one. This is freaking me out a bit so weird!
Yes, there are tests with different passages/questions.
Wait a minute - I thought every third grader in New York State takes the same ela test? In fact I assumed the tests for every grade level were uniform. Is that not right?
Not always the case. Not all reading selections are the same. Some have imbedded field testing selections. Some don't. Every year it's been like that. Different versions. Just read that particular test, had 4 versions.
Four versions of the 3rd grade test? Is there somewhere that I can read more about this? Thank you for this insight!
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| Posted 4/7/16 10:19 PM |
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twicethefun
Loving life
Member since 7/06 4088 total posts
Name:
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Re: Any Kids taking the tests?
Posted by CurlyQ
Posted by itsbabytime
Posted by CurlyQ
Posted by itsbabytime
Posted by Chatham-Chick
Posted by itsbabytime
Posted by CurlyQ
A reading passage on todays 4th grade ELA is from "The Kite Fighters". Grade level equivalent...6.3!! Guided reading level, W
A reading passage on the 3rd Grade Test: Eating the Plates Grade equivalent 5.2, interest level 6-8th grade
Testing instructed students to use a planning page prior to writing their essay. Guess what? No planning page.
These sound like positive changes to me. Having a 3rd grader read a passage 2 grade levels above them, with an interest level of being 6-8th grade, and having a 4th grader read a passage on the 6th grade level.
Please explain how this helps a teacher understand the needs of their students?
Are there different versions of these tests? My son took the third grade ela today and he said this story "eating the plates" was not on his test? He told me what the three stories were and none of them were this one. This is freaking me out a bit so weird!
Yes, there are tests with different passages/questions.
Wait a minute - I thought every third grader in New York State takes the same ela test? In fact I assumed the tests for every grade level were uniform. Is that not right?
Not always the case. Not all reading selections are the same. Some have imbedded field testing selections. Some don't. Every year it's been like that. Different versions.
That is crazy. I had absolutely no idea. I don't think most people do. That doesn't seem fair at all. And doesn't it defeat some of the purpose if not every child in a grade level is taking the same test? I would be livid if my child had to read a super hard text when other kids in the grade level didn't! Are they all graded the same?
These tests are all sorts of crazy and don't make sense. That's why 220,000 opted out last year and even more will this year.
Remember, these tests are meant to be scored on a bell curve. They all have more challenging and less challenging parts to the tests. They must have an above grade level passage on each test in order to differentiate among the top achievers. They do not expect anyone to get 100%, although a select few may get a perfect score.
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| Posted 4/7/16 10:21 PM |
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2BadSoSad
LIF Adult
Member since 8/12 6791 total posts
Name:
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Re: Any Kids taking the tests?
What a lot people don't understand is that it is NOT just about the TEST ITSELF. I mean yes thats a huge part of it and there is SO much wrong with the test. Its about teaching to test, its about creativity being taken out of the classroom, its about losing science, social studies, art, music, recess, etc so they can test. Its about our childrens education becoming for-profit, its about corporations driving our childrens education instead of our teachers. Its about teaching and learning not being a one-sized fits all equation and not every child learns the same way. I could go on and on and on bc there are SO many points in this thread that are just misinformation, I can easily spot the people who have not REALLY looked into why people opt out or why they are opting in.
It is NOT about opting out of life, its not bc they will have to take other tests, etc. Its not bc I don't think they will do well.
I dont opt them out of the other state standardized tests, it is the ELA and Math assessments. Even though I don't 100% agree with the benchmark testing, I don't opt them out of those.
There is SO much more to this. I HIGHLY suggest you look into the FB group, Long Island Opt out and the NYSAPE website.
I spent YEARS researching this, YEARS before it was time for my first to take them. I spoke to teachers, other educators, administration, superintendents of a few districts, I read laws, actual NYS laws regarding all of this, I read everything I could find, I read so many studies on creativity in the classroom, I researched the history of the Corporations/People involved, spoke to other parents, friends, I RESEARCHED my @ss off for years to come to the decision to opt out. I didn't sit back and decide in a week based on things Ive heard, I looked for backup for ALL of it. I went into this with no definitive answer and AFTER I researched I decided.
The new Chancellor of the NY Regents Board said herself that she would opt out her own children - to me, thats HUGE.
Message edited 4/8/2016 10:08:14 AM.
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| Posted 4/7/16 10:22 PM |
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NervousNell
Just another chapter in life..
Member since 11/09 54921 total posts
Name:
..being a mommy and being a wife!
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Re: Any Kids taking the tests?
And as far as sending a message that you can opt out in life, you can look at it in 2 ways IMO.
Maybe there ARE certain things in life that you should "opt out of". Maybe there are certain things that you should stand up against. Maybe you shouldn't just blindly do something because someone arbitrarily tells you that you have to.
Maybe it's a good message to be sending our kids. That sometimes it's ok to stand up for what you believe in or take a stand against something you feel is wrong or unfair.
Message edited 4/8/2016 8:50:11 AM.
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| Posted 4/8/16 8:49 AM |
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LBBCHGRL
LIF Infant
Member since 1/08 199 total posts
Name:
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Re: Any Kids taking the tests?
Posted by twicethefun
Posted by haveaquestion
Posted by beachgirl
Someone mentioned that if their child does not perform well on the test that they will get the help they need during the following year. This is true but you need to look at the bigger picture.
My daughter was a very strong 3/4 student last year in 3rd grade. She took the tests and got a 2 because she panicked and did not perform well on the tests. So this year she is pulled out for math and english resulting in her missing out on other modules that her classmates are taking. Her entire 3rd grade had results of 77% needing AIs after their testing grades came in during the summer. The ELA teacher said its a joke -she has all these 3/4 kids in her room during the week because their test scores gave them a different score than what they produced during the year in their classrooms.
We opted out this year for many reasons - this was one of them.
If you don't think your child needs to be pulled out you can tell the school you refuse services. They will give you a release stating you understand the state requires they provide them but you don't want them.
Here's another point of view. My son was shy and quiet and had some speech delays. He had a teacher who did not tap into his capability or see his potential. He got a 4 on the test because while his verbal reading skills are not great, his comprehension is far above grade level. Suddenly his teachers noticed he's a very capable reader. He's grown into a top student. It goes both ways.
Thank you for posting this. My children are not of testing age but I always wondered about the flip side.
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| Posted 4/8/16 9:32 AM |
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nferrandi
too excited for words
Member since 10/05 18538 total posts
Name:
Nicole
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Re: Any Kids taking the tests?
My DS is in 4th. He took the tests last year and he's taking them this year. He thought the ELA was pretty easy, I guess we'll see just how easy when he gets the grades back.
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| Posted 4/9/16 11:10 AM |
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Re: Any Kids taking the tests?
Posted by NervousNell
And as far as sending a message that you can opt out in life, you can look at it in 2 ways IMO.
Maybe there ARE certain things in life that you should "opt out of". Maybe there are certain things that you should stand up against. Maybe you shouldn't just blindly do something because someone arbitrarily tells you that you have to.
Maybe it's a good message to be sending our kids. That sometimes it's ok to stand up for what you believe in or take a stand against something you feel is wrong or unfair.
Couldn't  this point more.
In first and second grade my daughter had amazing science and social studies instruction. I was so pleased whenever she came home talking about the interesting things she learned and did in school. In the interest of brevity I won't go into specifics but it was well-rounded and thorough.
Then she started third grade, and all she's been bringing home are test prep booklets. Social studies and science are now taught via reading passages with questions at the end. She's not really as into school. I don't fault her teachers because though there have been changes to APPR I am sure there was still pressure on them to have the kids do well.
So I opted her out, and she knows why. And she knows she won't always be able to do what we did in life.
Testing is out of control. I have heard a lot about errors on the third grade exams, and on other grade exams too. Pearson naturally passed the buck but they were irresponsible to not examine everything. (As an aside, I have done some freelance work for them- not on exams but on text books, and they do not pay very well at all. They are making lots and lots of money for their top people probably, and not bothering to ensure the quality of their product.) We need to get $$ out of education and stop letting these companies make money off our kids.
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| Posted 4/9/16 1:58 PM |
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