Getting a Copy of a Student's Test (Dallas, Richardson: home, school district)

[texanne]

Has anyone ever had the following experience? If so, please let me know how you handled it.

My daughter is in 8th grade in RISD and received a very poor grade on a test at school. I requested the copy of her test because I have her enrolled with an outside tutor, and want the tutor to be able to see exactly where my daughter is stuggling. The answer I received from both the teacher and the principal were: "No, we cannot give out the tests as we reuse them. But you and/or your tutor are welcome to come to school to review the test."

Okay, this is where I go nuclear!!!!! This is just RIDICULOUS that we can't get copies of our kids' test, and that the school district is SO LAZY that they don't create new tests the following year.

I've made the appointment to go review the test. I'll be taking a LARGE notepad!!!

I've also left a message for the superintendent. We'll see IF and when he calls back. I'm thinking I'll say to the "super" that I have friends at Channels 8 and 4, and at the Dallas Morning News. (and I really do!)

So.......can anyone shed light on how I can get my daughter's test?

[Big G]

I'm not sure what you find so objectionable with Richardson ISD's policy.

I'm guessing they have had problems in the past with students passing on previous exams to other students. To minimize that problem, they have put in place the policy you are so upset with. They give you full access to the exam, you just can't take it home and keep it. They will even let an unrelated 3rd party (your tutor) take a look at it on your behalf. Seems reasonable to me.


Calling the school district and their employees "SO LAZY" is pretty mean-spirited. For most subjects, there are a limited number of topics to test, and a limited number of ways to do so. Tests also need to be standardized across campuses and across classrooms. Using tests on a 2 or 3 year cycle is more reasonable than re-inventing the wheel every single year.


Threatening to "take your case" to the media smacks of attempted blackmail. It won't help you at all, and really just marks you as a difficult, unreasonable person.

Sorry, but you find no sympathy here.

[awecelot]

Tests also need to be standardized across campuses and across classrooms.

Why? To make it fair to all?

Why don't we just put every student in one big auditorium and only hire one teacher per subject, so that all students are getting the exact same instruction?

Sorry, but this so-called "need" for standardization is a pet peeve of mine.

[Grainraiser]

I also see no problem with the districts policy. They are willing to let you and the tutor come in and reveiw the test. To call them lazy for not allowing you to just come up and take it home is uncalled for IMHO. If ever parent did this it would be very difficult to come up with different test every year. Maybe we should ask for the SAT & ACT test to be given to us to see what area our kids need help after taking it. Bringing the media in is one of the reasons our schools are in the protective state they are in.

[awecelot]

Originally Posted by Grainraiser

Maybe we should ask for the SAT & ACT test to be given to us to see what area our kids need help after taking it.

Like you, I have no problem with the district's policy, but you can order copies of the SAT and ACT test that you take. Bad example.

[KittySkyfish]

Sorry, I can't side with you either. Texanne, once that test goes out the door, then it has to be rewritten in order to prevent cheating. If there were parents with concerns at every test, which there usually are, then the teacher would have to create each subsequent test from scratch. You have no experience in this matter, so it's natural for you to think "just write another test". It's simply not that easy.

It takes a lot of time and energy to come up with quality test questions. Each question has to be thought-provoking and relevant, plus if it's multiple choice, all (or most) of the answers have to seem good. Only the student that understands the material will determine the correct answer. Sometimes a seemingly great question is actually a poor question if 20% of the class missed it because it's slightly misworded. If new questions have to be penned for each test, this risk increases.

There is no harm in going to the school and seeing the test in the presence of the teacher. Your child is not missing questions, she's missing CONCEPTS. Going over the test with the teacher and tutor present extra opportunities for YOU to learn these concepts as well so you can be another learning resource for your daughter. So yes, take that LARGE notepad and help your daughter out.

[GayleTX]

Go to the school, take your big pad with you.....but leave your attitude at home. You don't want a trouble-maker label on you and your daughter - she's got 4 years left in the district.

[jeffari-al-texani]

Originally Posted by texanne

Has anyone ever had the following experience? If so, please let me know how you handled it.

My daughter is in 8th grade in RISD and received a very poor grade on a test at school. I requested the copy of her test because I have her enrolled with an outside tutor, and want the tutor to be able to see exactly where my daughter is stuggling. The answer I received from both the teacher and the principal were: "No, we cannot give out the tests as we reuse them. But you and/or your tutor are welcome to come to school to review the test."

Okay, this is where I go nuclear!!!!! This is just RIDICULOUS that we can't get copies of our kids' test, and that the school district is SO LAZY that they don't create new tests the following year.

I've made the appointment to go review the test. I'll be taking a LARGE notepad!!!

I've also left a message for the superintendent. We'll see IF and when he calls back. I'm thinking I'll say to the "super" that I have friends at Channels 8 and 4, and at the Dallas Morning News. (and I really do!)

So.......can anyone shed light on how I can get my daughter's test?

Why don't you direct some of that anger at the lazy tutor for not coming up with his/her own test to determine what your child needs help with???

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

Don't know if it's true in your child's school, but many texts have a "test bank" of questions that the author/publisher wrote. If a test gets out, that excludes the entire set of questions from ever being used again. Don't teach to the test, teach to the CONCEPT, as another poster wrote.

[FarNorthDallas]

This subject has come up before:
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