By Patricia Levesque, ExcelinEd
This op-ed originally appeared in The Center Square
Setting passing scores on state assessments might seem like a mundane task, but it plays a crucial role in ensuring student success. Why is this important? The scores students earn on these assessments provide the only objective measure for parents about their child’s academic performance — whether they are performing at, below or above grade level.
In many states, students who score below the passing threshold receive additional support, resources and interventions to help them improve. Unfortunately, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has compromised the integrity of this system by lowering the passing scores on its standardized assessments, effectively altering the expectations for student achievement.
Their decision to move the goalposts could set students back, make it harder for parents to know how their kids are doing and prevent educators from supporting those who need it most.
When states determine passing scores, these scores dictate whether students are considered on grade level or proficient in a subject. By significantly lowering the passing scores, many Wisconsin students may appear more proficient on paper than they actually are. Some districts are expecting to see reported proficiency levels increase by 15% to 25% even though students aren’t actually achieving at a higher level.
There are those who say the lower scores help “level the playing field” because students were appearing worse on paper than necessary. We vehemently disagree. No family or educator wants to hear a student is falling behind, but without accurate data, how will they ever know that a student has, in fact, fallen behind? There’s no way to solve a challenge if you don’t know it exists.
