The Death of WKCE? Task Force to Develop "Comprehensive Assessment System for Wisconsin"

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction [150K PDF], via a kind reader's email:

Wisconsin needs a comprehensive assessment system that provides educators and parents with timely and relevant information that helps them make instructional decisions to improve student achievement," said State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster in announcing members of a statewide Next Generation Assessment Task Force.

Representatives from business, commerce, and education will make recommendations to the state superintendent on the components of an assessment system that are essential to increase student achievement. Task force members will review the history of assessment in Wisconsin and learn about the value, limitations, and costs of a range of assessment approaches. They will hear presentations on a number of other states' assessment systems. Those systems may include ACT as part of a comprehensive assessment system, diagnostic or benchmark assessments given throughout the year, or other assessment instruments and test administration methods. The group's first meeting will be held October 8 in Madison.

A few notes:

• "Schools should not rely on only WKCE data to gauge progress of individual students or to determine effectiveness of programs or curriculum"
• The Madison School District's "Value Added Assessment System" uses WKCE results.
• The Fordham Foundation has criticized the lack of rigor in the WKCE

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Posted by Jim Zellmer at September 16, 2008 4:37 PM
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