The legend of the large MCAS gains of 2000-2001.

Gregory Camilli; Sadako Vargas

Journal Help

Article Tools

Indexing metadata

How to cite item

Email this article (Login required)

Email the author (Login required)

Related Articles Braun, H. (2004, January 5). Reconsidering the impact of high-stakes testing, Education Policy Analysis Archives, 12(1).
http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v12n1

Linton, T. H. & Kester, D. (2003, March 14). Exploring the achievement gap between white and minority students in Texas: A comparison of the 1996 and 2000 NAEP and TAAS eighth grade mathematics test results, Education Policy Analysis Archives, 11(10).
http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v11n10

Haney, Walt. (2000). The Texas miracle in education. Education Policy Analysis Archive, 8(41).
http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v8n41/part7.htm

Font Size

About The Authors

Gregory Camilli
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Gregory Camilli is Professor in the Rutgers Graduate School of Education. His interests include measurement, program evaluation, and policy issues regarding student assessment. Dr. Camilli teaches courses in statistics and psychometrics, structural equation modeling, and meta-analysis. His current research interests include school factors in mathematics achievement, test fairness, technical and validity issues in high-stakes assessment, and the use of evidence in determining instructional policies.

Sadako Vargas

As Research Associate at Rutgers Graduate School of Education, and Adjunct Professor
at Touro College and Seton Hall University, Sadako Vargas has taught in the areas of research methods and occupational therapy. Her interests lie in the use of meta-analysis for investigating intervention effects in the area of rehabilitation and education specifically related to pediatrics and occupational therapy intervention.

Notifications

View
Subscribe / Unsubscribe

The legend of the large MCAS gains of 2000-2001.

Gregory Camilli, Sadako Vargas

Abstract

Issues related to student, teacher, and school accountability have been at the forefront of current educational policy initiatives. Recently, the state of Massachusetts has become a focal point in debate regarding the efficacy of high-stakes accountability models based on an ostensibly large gain at 10th grade. This paper uses an IRT method for evaluating the validity of 10th grade performance gains from 2000 to 2001 on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) tests in English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics. We conclude that a moderate gain was obtained in ELA and a small gain in mathematics.