What do Klein et al. tell us about test scores in Texas?

Authors

  • Laurence A. Toenjes

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.v13n36.2005

Abstract

A paper appearing in this journal by Klein, Hamilton, McCaffrey and Stecher (2000) attempted to raise serious questions about the validity of the gains in student performance as measured by Texas' standardized test, the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS). Part of their analysis was based on the results of three tests which they administered to 2,000 fifth grade students in 20 Texas schools. Although Klein et al. indicated that the 20 schools were not selected in a way which would insure that they were representative of the nearly 3,000 Texas schools that enrolled fifth graders, generalizations based upon the results for those schools were nonetheless offered. The purpose of this short paper is to demonstrate just how unrepresentative the 20 schools used by Klein et al. actually were, and in so doing to cast doubt on certain of their conclusions.

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Author Biography

Laurence A. Toenjes

Laurence A. Toenjes was Research Associate Professor of Sociology and Co-Founder of the Sociology of Education Research Group (SERG) at the University of Houston. He holds a Ph.D. degree in Economics from Southern Illinois University. Retired three years ago, Toenjes recently completed a sailing voyage from Texas to Seattle by way of Hawaii. Interestingly, he noticed the weekly posting of local school testing results on the bulletin board at the small Keaukaha Market near the harbor in Hilo during his stay there. There is no escape.

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Published

2005-08-31

How to Cite

Toenjes, L. A. . (2005). What do Klein et al. tell us about test scores in Texas?. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 13, 36. https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.v13n36.2005

Issue

Section

Articles