NY superintendent understands testing games

Voorheesville Central School District superintendent Dr. Teresa Thayer Snyder knows test gaming well. Writing about the new Common Core State Standards aligned test results in New York, she says:

“…test developers control the scaled scores—indeed they have developed a draconian statistical formula that is elaborate, if indecipherable, to determine scaled scores. I would bet my house on the fact that over the next few years, scores will “improve”—not necessarily student learning, but scores. They must, because the State accepted millions and millions of dollars to increase student scores and increase graduation rates. If scores do not improve from this baseline, then those ‘powers that be’ will have a lot of explaining to do to justify having accepted those millions.”

Lots more money, inflating test scores – sound familiar? That is exactly what happened with Kentucky’s KIRIS and CATS assessments. Now, here comes Common Core. Want to bet that Snyder’s not going to lose her house?