New 2015 PARCC Test Results

[destination-unknown]

Originally Posted by wjj

I think that kind of activity was more widespread than many realize. There was discussion among many parents and kids that since the test did not matter for anything important as far as the student and college were concerned, just put anything down and be done with it. This was especially true in the high schools.

All of these scores are suspect. It was also reported in the Daily Herald last week that many high schools in the northwest suburbs had an extremely high nonparticipation rate like 90% at Rolling Meadows not taking the tests and even at highly rated schools like Hersey (60% not tested) and Prospect (81% not tested in reading and 57% not tested in math). There was a boycott the test mentality in District 214 where student's just opted out of taking the test at all. At other schools, the opt out was more subtle with students showing up but not doing anything except writing their names down or just answering "C" to all questions.

I would not put any significance on these tests at all.

I tend to agree. On the high school level, average ACT and SAT scores are a much better indicator (since they actually matter for college admission) than a test like this.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

You can view each PARCC state separately here:

State Results

One thing to know about comparing states passing rates. Each state has set its own threshold for meeting and exceeding. Illinois has one of the highest thresholds.

[holl1ngsworth]

On this year's PARCC, 17% of high schools students met or exceeded expectations in math while 31% did so in ELA. That contrasts last year's PSAE which showed 52% met or exceeded in math and 56% in reading. On last year's ACT only 26% of Illinois' high school students met the full requirements for "College Readiness."

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

One thing to know about comparing states passing rates. Each state has set its own threshold for meeting and exceeding. Illinois has one of the highest thresholds.

PARCC cut scores were supposed to be set for all results -- PARCC Test Results Coming Soon, But State Comparisons Limited - Education Writers Association

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by chet everett

PARCC cut scores were supposed to be set for all results -- PARCC Test Results Coming Soon, But State Comparisons Limited - Education Writers Association

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/07/us...tate.html?_r=0

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/07/us...tate.html?_r=0

The article is quite clear that the scores are in fact normed as a pool. The choice of Ohio's legislature to refer to the 3rd quintile as "proficient" is semantics. To suggest that makes Illinois' terminology somehow more rigorous is quite a stretch --

It all came down to the different labels each state used to describe the exact same scores on the same tests. ...Before the Common Core, each state set its own standards and devised its own tests. Some states made the standardized tests so easy or set passing scores so low that virtually all students were rated proficient even as they scored much lower on federal exams and showed up for college requiring remedial help. .... Over the summer, the Ohio legislature voted to abandon the Parcc test and commission a new test developer to devise yet another set of exams.

[Paige65]

Originally Posted by 4122

At least at Deerfield, most students just wrote their names on the test because it looked really hard. Deerfield only had 6% of students meeting standards and Highland Park only had 7%. It's very concerning that the schools were way below schools that they once ranked near like New Trier, Glenbrooks, Lake Forest, Stevenson, etc. and many other schools. I honestly am not for standardozed tests including the PARCC but District 113's does raise some questions.

No worries here. Look at the PSAE results. Many students silently protested the test by not answering or putting nonsensical answers.

[cbsmom]

Totally agree. I don't think you can use this test to draw any conclusions about the schools. I've heard many teachers who complain about the misleading questions and glitches, and just as Paige said, many students simply did not care. I'd throw these test results out, frankly.

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by cbsmom

Totally agree. I don't think you can use this test to draw any conclusions about the schools. I've heard many teachers who complain about the misleading questions and glitches, and just as Paige said, many students simply did not care. I'd throw these test results out, frankly.

Do you live in a school district that didn't do so hot? Flawed or not, I wouldn't throw anything out. I'd look at why your school performed poorly. That students "simply did not care" signifies a pretty significant issue, IMHO.

[cbsmom]

Sorry am late to reply - I missed your comment. Don't have a school age child (and we're in a not so great district in the city currently). I just don't think you can compare district or state wide with the PARCC test. There are stories of children opting out of the test, or only writing their name down, etc.