What’s in a Test?

Quite the week for NCLB in the news. The CEP study tried not to definitively link NCLB to rising test scores — despite headline writers’ best efforts – and now the DOE’s own study shows that high test scores ain’t all that, since state standards are, well, all over the map.

Earlier this week, the Salt Lake Tribune looked at the disconnect between NAEP scores and state scores in Utah and did a good job of explaining some of the shortcomings of standardized tests. 

So, after a week of high-profile studies, we have good fodder for some basic soul-searching. How much should test scores matter? How much should state standards vary? How can we make sure NCLB is working? 

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