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DEL.ICIO.USA standardized puzzler
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Once upon a time, kids took a standardized test every spring. Now, testing is a year-round part of education. Fulton County, for example, already gave the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, and DeKalb County is giving the test now.
The Iowa is required for students in grades three, five and eight, though some districts give the test to additional grades. But you knew that, right?
Test your testing knowledge with this puzzle. Here’s a hint: Though most of the answers are related to testing, some are not.
Sorry, it’s not a clickable puzzle, so you’ll have to print it out. I’ll post the solution tomorrow.
Across:
1. No Child Left Behind takes its name from this agency’s former slogan: Children’s _____ Fund.
3. These exams expose grade inflation. (abbreviation)
5. NCLB promoter
6. ___ Arbor
7. Random ______
9. Many schools’ NCLB downfall
11. Preschool accrediting agency: National Association for the Education of _____ Children
12. Mood among students on test day
13. Students who must pass state tests in 2014
15. Eardrum-shattering animal sound
16. Home of the TAAS
19. Revised to resemble its rival
20. Birthplace of standardized testing (abbrev.)
21. One way schools stay out of NCLB trouble: _____ Harbor
24. Helps adults from foreign countries learn English. (abbrev.)
25. Outdated term for students who can’t easily learn to read.
26. Spielberg film
27. Federal test compares states and tracks progress over time. (abbrev.)
28. State office that publishes report cards on Georgia schools. (abbrev.)
32. Not useful for a standardized test
——————————
Down:
1. A student with a ______ qualifies for a subgroup
2. NCLB defender
4. Backbone of NCLB
6. What all schools want to make
9. Self-satisfied (synonym)
10. aka “unfunded mandate”
14. Publishes guide to academic papers. (abbrev.)
17. Says Georgia will “lead the nation in improving student achievement.”
18. Often speaks of “the soft bigotry of low expectations.”
22. Scores the SAT (abbrev.)
23. Kids who need ESOL (abbev.)
29. Useful for a standardized test
30. Testing well is good for one’s ____
31. Test participation _____
33. Brand of footwear once favored by celebrities
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By SWC
October 14, 2005 02:49 PM | Link to this
Patti - I take it you don’t like the ITBS tests! This is what I would propose: alternate every year. Give ITBS (or its equivalent) one year, give the CRCTs (or EOCTs) the next.
I think that both tests are important. The ITBS gives me an idea of how my son is doing compared to the rest of the country. It tells me what subjects he should be able to excell in, where his strengths and weaknesses are. It tells me where there could be grade inflation or grade deflation. It is a good guide to how good a job his school is doing and how well he is doing at school. It helps the schools know where to place you child if they come from out of state, or are moving up the next level, say from Elementary to Middle school, i.e. in standard or advanced classes.
I don’t think that we need standardized curriculum testing every year. My son didn’t have CRCTs in 3rd grade and nothing was lost. They can have their curriculum learning measured in other ways, through the schools themselves. I don’t think that all states give yearly curriculum tests, but I could be wrong. Many private schools don’t. The only negative to not giving them every year is that those teachers are more exempt from scrutiny, although the ITBS tests should be able to indicate if there is grade inflation going on for instance.
By Patti
October 14, 2005 03:41 PM | Link to this
Hi, I love the Iowa test. It’s what I took as a child, and my recollection is that I did quite well on it. I understand what the Iowa test measures. With the CRCT, I don’t know how difficult the test is or where the absolute bar is.
I think your idea of giving different tests on alternate years is a good one.
Patti