Student Achievement
Kansas students are achieving despite chronic underfunding and the disruption of a national pandemic. The long phase-in of the court-ordered restoration of funding in the Gannon case just ended in 2023 and is being undercut by the increasing shortfalls in special education funding. Graduation rates and attainment of professional credentials are at an all-time high, and remediation rates are down. We believe student achievement will continue to rise with continued investment in our children. Standardized tests are one component of student achievement, but they are widely misused and misrepresented by voucher supporters in an effort to undermine support for public education. Here are some important facts to know.
The Kansas Assessment has the most rigorous cut scores in the country according to NAEP. The “new” Kansas Assessment was first administered in the spring of 2015. The cut scores were designed to be aspirational and not tied to grade level proficiency. Although the cut scores aren’t directly tied to grade level, Level 2 most closely equates to it, and it is improper to say that Kansas kids scoring in Level 2 are failing. As data have been compiled, it has become clear that the majority of students in Level 2 and even a substantial number of students scoring in Level 1 go on to college and other post-secondary success. It is also important to note that when the Supreme Court discussed test scores in the Gannon school finance case, they were talking about the old Kansas Assessment, and not the new version.
NAEP scores are also misused. NAEP is only administered to small samplings of students, and notably, voucher students don’t usually take NAEP. The NAEP “proficiency” standard doesn’t represent proficiency and is actually a high level of achievement. NAEP “basic” most closely correlates to grade level. Additionally, be wary of comparisons of 4th grade scores between Kansas and states like Florida that retain large numbers of their struggling 3rd graders. Florida 8th grade NAEP scores are lower than their 4th grade scores.
Students also don’t always give their best effort on standardized tests also lack meaning, especially for older students who realize they don’t have any meaning for them. The tests are only as valid as the effort students put into them. This is also why it’s important to look at other measures of success such as graduation rates and the attainment of market value assets such as AP credits, professional certifications, etc. which have much more value for students. More Kansas students are taking the ACT now that it is offered free for all Kansas juniors, but as fewer colleges are using the ACT at all and more of the ones that do use it are de-emphasizing it, students are less likely to study as hard for it or take it as many times. Caution is warranted when looking at statewide ACT scores.
Further Information
https://accountabaloney.com/index.php/2023/10/21/m4l-continues-to-post-misleading-information/?fbclid=IwAR1Y2YkQ9ET6TbQsq8yqTlJNx_-iInVBX1UprYZFcjAM3Qmf1kV2aS2Vyvc
http://tallmankasb.blogspot.com/2017/05/kansas-educational-attainment-is-at-all.html
http://tallmankasb.blogspot.com/2017/05/after-decades-of-increasing-funding-to.html
http://tallmankasb.blogspot.com/2016/09/what-does-kansas-student-achievement.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSSiMtOq2rY
http://tallmankasb.blogspot.com/2013/05/four-reasons-to-celebrate-high-school.html
