Re: Fourteen centuries of standardized testing can’t be wrong, May 1 Teresa Keegan column.
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Teresa Keegan s entertaining column attempts to rebut arguments against standardized testing but is filled with false comparisons and straw-man fallacies.
First, she falsely compares bar exams and the CPA exam to today s standardized tests. The tests she cites are admittance tests to qualify adults to practice a set of skills. One can purchase prep books for these tests because it is known what will be tested. PARCC tests are general knowledge tests administered every year, beginning at third grade. They do not test what students have learned in each grade. Second, she attempts to refute that tests are biased by saying students should study. PARCC tests are famous for their secrecy, so studying specific skills is impossible. In addition, research has proven that the only true correlation with tests is that the higher the parental income, the higher the student score. Keegan then asks what will replace tests, ignoring that students are continually tested by teachers based on classroom instruction.
Her tone in this article is intended to be entertaining, but those involved with education are not amused.
Don Batt, Denver
This letter was published in the May 8 edition.
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