STANDARDIZED TESTING DURING PANDEMIC

[Jennyberas23]

Standardized testing during the Pandemic
What can you do for students during the COVID-19 quarantine?


The current situation is presenting new challenges in education and everywhere else. With many schools closed due to the virus, what would happen with students who would be taking standardized digital versions test to take home? Or will students be able to take streamlined exams on a computer, table or smartphone?


The federal government requires that all students be tested annually in grades 3 through 8 and 11th grade. The results provide information about how individual students and groups of students are performing — data that are used as an accountability yardstick for teachers, schools and school districts. The digital divide between low-income and upper-income students is persistent and well-documented. The homes of low-income students are less likely to have the internet access and devices needed to participate in online testing. Students with disabilities also face unprecedented challenges in completing schoolwork and participating in standardized tests, particularly if they require accommodations. The needs of this important population of students must be taken fully into account.

What can we do to accommodate students during the pandemic?

[Tdol]

The homes of low-income students are less likely to have the internet access and devices needed to participate in online testing.

What are the figures for that? I have lived in some of the poorest countries in the world, where people would sit outside my building to use our WiFi. They had smartphones. If they can access the internet in the Least Developed Nations, how come they can't do an online test in the US? I am totally in favour of widening access, but I have seen people charging mobile phones from car batteries in the developing world. I am not saying that you are wrong, but can we have some clear figures on that? I managed to transfer some cash to a friend in some of the worst slums in the world so she could feed her family in the Covid-19 lockdown. It was complicated, but we got it done. I agree totally about people with disabilities, but I wonder just how bad internet access is for the less-advantaged in the US, given what I know is possible with my friends in LDNs.

[Jennyberas23]

Thank you for your comment!

I also agree with you, nowadays everyone have cellphones. However, that is not the case. The problem here is how are they are going to be able to complete the test when many students are not ready? Many ELL students need the help and support of a teacher or someone in the home who understand the language. Most importantly, they need someone to guide them in the process. Unfortunately, many of the ELL parents or family can't help their kids with homework and most likely can't teach them as well. I know students who has not been able to complete their homework for weeks. For some reason, the school website is not working. Therefore, they do not have access to the school homework. That is terrible right? You will think that the teacher would contact each student to speak with each student about homework assignments. But, No. There has not been a call for about two weeks. This is a challenge. The current situation is presenting new challenges in education and everywhere else. How are these student prepare to take any test when they have not been completing any work or any preparation to take any test?

[Tdol]

School sites down is a shortcoming of the schools and their website designers. I get the point about languages - I taught in London, where a couple of hundred languages are spoken - but this has nothing to do with being online. Were there more language specialists in real space? And if so, why are they not online? Yes, ELLs need targeted help, and I agree totally with you on that. But blaming devices is not the solution- getting teachers and tuition in strikes me as an answer. It's less about access and more about what they can access.