Student test scores, timing of their release draw criticism from advocates
The question of whether schools are making academic progress is of increasing concern, as the state boosts its financial investment in public education. Credit: Newsday/John Paraskevas
The state's recent release of test scores covering more than 900,000 students on Long Island and statewide has drawn criticism from outside analysts, who contend the postings were tardy and reflected lowered academic standards.
Student scores, which were posted publicly Dec. 14, covered grades 3-8 and were collected from tests conducted in April and May. State education authorities who run the annual program said scoring was more complex than usual this time because it involved a switch to new academic guidelines known as Next Generation Learning Standards.
In response, representatives of two education advocacy groups — one conservative, one progressive — have declared in recent weeks that delays in release made it more difficult for policymakers, parents and others to judge schools' performance in a timely manner. Critics also noted that this is not the first time that statewide and district scores have been posted on the state's Report Card website long after testing was completed.
Some states including Colorado, Delaware, Florida and Texas release such scores much earlier — either in June or August.
The question of whether schools are making academic progress is of increasing concern, as New York State boosts its financial investment in public education. Over the past three years, state lawmakers have approved record increases in aid, including more than $1.6 billion for Island schools alone.
The latest postings showed about 50% of students tested statewide and 58% in Nassau and Suffolk counties were proficient in math. In English, the figures were about 48% and 53%, respectively.
Regional comparisons could not be precise, because the percentage of students not tested on the Island was much higher than elsewhere in the state, due to boycotts or other reasons.
Results for 2022 tests were released publicly in late October of that year.
“It marks the second year in a row that state education officials have failed to release the data until well into the next school year,” said Ken Girardin, research director for the Empire Center for Public Policy. The center is a nonprofit, fiscally conservative think tank based in Albany.
Girardin, in a statement issued Dec. 21, also contended that state officials had lowered the definition of “proficient” — that is, the scoring point at which students are deemed to have met state standards.
"State officials made it easier for students to pass the tests and harder for policymakers to make use of them," Girardin said in a phone interview with Newsday last week.
In New York, groups of educators, including state administrators and teachers, meet periodically to review test questions and decide on the level of success students need to attain.
“State tests play a crucial role in measuring the performance of the country's costliest K-12 system, which this school year received more than $34 billion in state aid,” Girardin stated.
State education authorities responded that the latest proficiency levels could not be compared to those set in the past, due to the changeover in scholastic standards.
“An accurate comparison cannot be made to prior year's results because the spring 2023 tests were based on the newly implemented Next Generation Learning Standards,” said Keshia Clukey, the state's assistant education commissioner for public affairs.
In regard to complaints her agency was slow in releasing test results, Clukey said individual student scores were provided to districts in September for purposes of programming, instructional services and parent engagement. She added that principals and teachers had access since June to reports showing how students in their classrooms performed on each test question.
“We recognize the importance of making assessment data available as quickly and transparently as possible,” Clukey said.
Another group concerned over slow reporting of test scores was The Education Trust-New York, based in Manhattan. On Dec. 15, the organization's interim executive director, Jeff Smink, issued a statement contending late releases posed problems for school leaders and parents alike.
“Releasing this important statewide data over six months after the tests have been administered dilutes the value of assessments, making it difficult for schools to use the data to inform instruction and target resources to students most in need of support,” Smink stated. “It also limits the ability of parents and caregivers, and other education stakeholders to fully understand their school's performance and hold state and district leaders accountable for student outcomes.”
The Trust also pointed to a gap in test performance between white and minority students, adding that education leaders at state and local levels needed to do more to provide all students with effective instruction in math and literacy. The Trust, for example, noted that for eighth-grade math, 48% of white students reached proficiency, while only 32% of Hispanic students and 31% of Black students did the same.
The Trust is also a nonprofit, and it focuses on issues revolving around improving education for students who are minorities and economically disadvantaged.
Clukey replied that, while test scores were important, no single score on its own can fully or accurately depict what a student knows or can do.
“This information should come from multiple sources, including teacher interactions, classroom assessment, state-level assessments and other measures,” Clukey added.
The state's recent release of test scores covering more than 900,000 students on Long Island and statewide has drawn criticism from outside analysts, who contend the postings were tardy and reflected lowered academic standards.
Student scores, which were posted publicly Dec. 14, covered grades 3-8 and were collected from tests conducted in April and May. State education authorities who run the annual program said scoring was more complex than usual this time because it involved a switch to new academic guidelines known as Next Generation Learning Standards.
In response, representatives of two education advocacy groups — one conservative, one progressive — have declared in recent weeks that delays in release made it more difficult for policymakers, parents and others to judge schools' performance in a timely manner. Critics also noted that this is not the first time that statewide and district scores have been posted on the state's Report Card website long after testing was completed.
Some states including Colorado, Delaware, Florida and Texas release such scores much earlier — either in June or August.
WHAT TO KNOW
- Outside analysts contend that the state's latest test scores for grades 3-8 reflect lowered academic standards and were posted too late to be entirely useful for policymakers, parents and others.
- State education authorities responsible for testing respond that standards were changed this past year, making it impossible to compare student “proficiency” levels on tests to those from prior years.
- State officials add that test results were released as soon as possible, with initial reports provided to principals and teachers in June, followed by broader releases in September and last month.
The question of whether schools are making academic progress is of increasing concern, as New York State boosts its financial investment in public education. Over the past three years, state lawmakers have approved record increases in aid, including more than $1.6 billion for Island schools alone.
The latest postings showed about 50% of students tested statewide and 58% in Nassau and Suffolk counties were proficient in math. In English, the figures were about 48% and 53%, respectively.
Regional comparisons could not be precise, because the percentage of students not tested on the Island was much higher than elsewhere in the state, due to boycotts or other reasons.
Results for 2022 tests were released publicly in late October of that year.
“It marks the second year in a row that state education officials have failed to release the data until well into the next school year,” said Ken Girardin, research director for the Empire Center for Public Policy. The center is a nonprofit, fiscally conservative think tank based in Albany.
Scrutiny for what's 'proficient'
Girardin, in a statement issued Dec. 21, also contended that state officials had lowered the definition of “proficient” — that is, the scoring point at which students are deemed to have met state standards.
"State officials made it easier for students to pass the tests and harder for policymakers to make use of them," Girardin said in a phone interview with Newsday last week.
In New York, groups of educators, including state administrators and teachers, meet periodically to review test questions and decide on the level of success students need to attain.
“State tests play a crucial role in measuring the performance of the country's costliest K-12 system, which this school year received more than $34 billion in state aid,” Girardin stated.
State education authorities responded that the latest proficiency levels could not be compared to those set in the past, due to the changeover in scholastic standards.
“An accurate comparison cannot be made to prior year's results because the spring 2023 tests were based on the newly implemented Next Generation Learning Standards,” said Keshia Clukey, the state's assistant education commissioner for public affairs.
In regard to complaints her agency was slow in releasing test results, Clukey said individual student scores were provided to districts in September for purposes of programming, instructional services and parent engagement. She added that principals and teachers had access since June to reports showing how students in their classrooms performed on each test question.
“We recognize the importance of making assessment data available as quickly and transparently as possible,” Clukey said.
More criticism over timing
Another group concerned over slow reporting of test scores was The Education Trust-New York, based in Manhattan. On Dec. 15, the organization's interim executive director, Jeff Smink, issued a statement contending late releases posed problems for school leaders and parents alike.
“Releasing this important statewide data over six months after the tests have been administered dilutes the value of assessments, making it difficult for schools to use the data to inform instruction and target resources to students most in need of support,” Smink stated. “It also limits the ability of parents and caregivers, and other education stakeholders to fully understand their school's performance and hold state and district leaders accountable for student outcomes.”
The Trust also pointed to a gap in test performance between white and minority students, adding that education leaders at state and local levels needed to do more to provide all students with effective instruction in math and literacy. The Trust, for example, noted that for eighth-grade math, 48% of white students reached proficiency, while only 32% of Hispanic students and 31% of Black students did the same.
The Trust is also a nonprofit, and it focuses on issues revolving around improving education for students who are minorities and economically disadvantaged.
Clukey replied that, while test scores were important, no single score on its own can fully or accurately depict what a student knows or can do.
“This information should come from multiple sources, including teacher interactions, classroom assessment, state-level assessments and other measures,” Clukey added.
John Hildebrand is Newsday's senior education writer and has covered school news and policy issues affecting Long Island for more than 40 years.
