The Truth about Testing
I learned the truth about testing when I was assistant superintendent in the New Rochelle City School District, a diverse school district 15 miles north of New York City. Ellin Rossberg was the chairperson for the English Department for New Rochelle High School and two middle schools in the city of New Rochelle, NY.
Ellin knew more about children’s literature and effective English instruction than anyone I ever met. She was also capable of withering imperiousness when she felt I stepped over the line with my many disruptions and changes for the academic program.
Like most school districts at the time, when students arrived at New Rochelle’s two middle schools from six different elementary schools they were grouped into three skill level groups. The problem is the six elementary schools defined the three categories differently, and we needed a quick, simple, easy-to-grade test to measure student performance.
I expected to see another fill-in-the-bubble test, but Ellin had a different, time-tested, reliable method I had never seen before. Read more.