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Education Dive
Report: More states setting higher 'proficiency' standards on assessments
But some education leaders argue the term continues to create confusion.
Linda Jacobson
Aug. 21, 2019
The gap is narrowing between what states consider proficiency in math
and reading — and the standards set by the National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP), according to a new “mapping” study
released Wednesday by the National Center for Education Statistics
(NCES).
Comparing the 2017 NAEP results for 4th- and 8th-grade reading and math
to state assessments for the 2016–17 school year, the report shows that
since 2007, the difference between state cut scores for proficiency and
the “NAEP equivalent” has grown smaller and is sometimes almost half of
what it was. In all but 8th-grade math, the gap is also smaller than it
was in 2015.
“The bottom is coming up,” Peggy Carr, the associate commissioner
of assessment at NCES, said Tuesday during a media call, adding that
she thinks states increasing their standards for proficiency “is a
function of seeing themselves in the context of other states.”
In both grade levels and subject areas, most states set their
proficiency standards at the level that would be considered basic on
NAEP. In a few cases, however, states have raised their standards to be
more in line with what NAEP considers proficient. In 4th-grade math,
for example, the score needed to be proficient is on par with NAEP in
nine states, a big change from 2007 when the standards were at NAEP’s
“below basic” level in seven states. Now none of them are in that
category.
In 4th- and 8th-grade math and in 8th-grade reading, states that are
members of the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and
Careers (PARCC) are closer to the NAEP proficiency range than states
that are part of the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium and those
that use ACT Aspire.
Both consortia formed to assess students on Common Core, but the
majority of states still have their own assessment programs. PARCC does
not require all 8th-graders to take a general math assessment.
A debate over labels
The term proficient continues to engender confusion over just how well
American students are performing academically and often means different
things to different people. To NAEP it refers to high achievement or
“mastery over challenging subject matter,” while many others interpret
proficient as being on grade level.
That’s why NCES has conducted the mapping study, which the authors say
should not be taken as a criticism of where states are setting their
bars for proficiency.
“The mapping of the state standards does not imply that the NAEP
achievement levels are more valid than the state standards or that
states should emulate NAEP standards,” they write. “A wide range of
policy considerations are involved in setting achievement standards,
and what is appropriate for NAEP may not be the best fit for a given
state.”
Some leaders say that the gap in definitions is counterproductive.
James Harvey, executive director of the National Superintendents
Roundtable (NSR), argues NAEP’s proficiency standards are
“unrealistically high.”
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