Monroe County’s Debra Walker: Learning gain statistics unreliable
From Monroe County School Board member Debra Walker, a comment posted on my summary of the FCAT situation:
I have been complaining about this for years. The FCAT developmental scaled score is the least reliable statistic in the batch. It’s several statistical transforms away from the original test data. Because the stat comes from two years of FCAT tests based on different standards, the error accumulates over the years. After three years, the error reflected in a developmental score is 15%.
Why doesn’t a statistician point this out? Basing teacher salaries and school funding on inappropriate statistics may be politic, but it’s rotten policy!
It’s stuff like this that drives me crazy. Every legislator should be required to pass a college level statistics course before he/she is allowed to vote on bills.
Update (11:00 am): On Debra’s last point: Every college student should be required to pass a college level statistics class. Even if they’re not going to be legislators.
Tags: Assessment, Florida Department of Education
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