May 2004 — Features
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Computerized Adaptive Testing: Effective Measurement for All Students
Most educators today would agree that the mission of our profession has become more complex and much more challenging than ever before. Changes in district demographics, societal pressures that require more personalized student attention, evermore stringent governmental demands, and constant budgetary concerns all have an impact on our daily routines. As director of student achievement for the Meridian School District in Idaho, I've seen firsthand how these and other issues, while controversial at times and always challenging, have forced all of us to find new and creative ways to reach what we consider the ultimate goal of education: fostering continuous growth in every student to prepare him or her for the future.
Community Support
The Meridian School District experiences steady growth across the full spectrum of its students - from highly gifted children to kids with special needs. While we benefit from unusually strong community support and a nationally recognized reputation for high student achievement, a large part of our success is due to the quality and amount of data that guides us.
One reason we're successful is that our testing methods assure more effective teaching, more substantive learning, and better-prepared students. Our initial search in this area, which began seven years ago, led us to partner with the Portland, Ore.-based Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA, www.nwea.org) to initiate an achievement-level test - first in paper-and-pencil form and later via computer.
Uniquely adaptive, this computerized test automatically presents each student with different items based on ability level and prior responses. When the student answers a question correctly, subsequent questions become more difficult, while incorrect answers lead to easier questions. The tests help eliminate student frustration and boredom, and offer results that provide a solid foundation of quality data delivered in days, not months.
Unlike traditional standardized tests that measure a student's status compared to others, computerized adaptive tests (CATs) enable us to track the growth of each student in specific subjects over time. This allows us to see and foster ongoing individualized improvement. Besides years of strong, continuous growth, the testing system has found unanimous support from teachers, administrators, parents and even students. The test was so successful in our district and many others statewide that Idaho contracted with NWEA to develop our state test, the Idaho Standards Achievement Test (ISAT). This test is a blended solution of a CAT and a fixed-form test designed to meet No Child Left Behind mandates.
New Challenges, New Solutions
Our district has seven Title I schools and our English language learner (ELL) population is increasing - currently including 51 language groups. While the district has the lowest poverty level in the state, the span of poverty in the buildings is from 4%-58%. The district also has a high percentage of special education students - with more than 2,900 students (about 11%) following individualized education programs - which is largely a result of multiple group homes that are located in the area.
