Really?

Standardized Test Scores and Academic Performance at a Public University System Founded in 1920, the NBER is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to conducting economic research and to disseminating research findings among academics, public policy makers, and business professionals.

Large study of all of CUNY shows HS grades "dominant predictor" of academic success. 4-6xs more predictive of graduation than SAT. Test-optional (2020-24) = no significant diff in predictive accuracy vs. including test scores.
Put that on front page of the NEW YORK Times.
https://ow.ly/zA5C50YyKNW

Standardized Test Scores and Academic Performance at a Public University System Founded in 1920, the NBER is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to conducting economic research and to disseminating research findings among academics, public policy makers, and business professionals.

Large study of all of CUNY shows HS grades "dominant predictor" of academic success. 4-6xs more predictive of graduation than SAT. Test-optional (2020-24) = no significant diff in predictive accuracy vs. including test scores.
Put that on front page of the NEW YORK Times.
https://ow.ly/9SLx50YyKwh

Grade Retention: The Debate Had Its Day, Now End It! - Nancy Bailey's Education Website The permanency of retention and the message it sends students may have long-term effects on self-esteem and school attachment that may override even short-term academic benefits (1995). ~Melissa Roder...

Being retained in school is a failure that many students may never overcome. It’s time to end retention and focus on solutions that work, that lift children! nancyebailey.com/2026/03/21/g...

A close-up of an empty classroom desk with exam papers and a pencil, highlighting education and testing environment.

Thanks EdFirst for showing how bonkers the K-8 testing obsession has become. K-8 kids take an average of 60 distinct commercial tests.Test accountability pressure is warping our schools. "Right-sizing" won't fix it. Systems need to change before we lose another generation.
https://ow.ly/iEoZ50YwZfA

A close-up of an empty classroom desk with exam papers and a pencil, highlighting education and testing environment.

Thanks EdFirst for showing how bonkers the K-8 testing obsession has become. K-8 kids take an average of 60 distinct commercial tests.Test accountability pressure is warping our schools. "Right-sizing" won't fix it. Systems need to change before we lose another generation.
https://ow.ly/iEoZ50YwZfA

If Trump sells out US interests to Putin— is it Russia’s fault for compromising him or Trump’s for being weak and betraying US? Same goes for Israel/Netanyahu. All three men are abominations. Trump alone is to blame for the catastrophic harm he does the United States.

Why would parents trust grades more than standardized test scores? Wrong question. Why should they trust test scores? We assume the stupidity of parents and that score reports give us useful information. Akil Bello unpacks unfortunate media framing and more. #TestScores
https://ow.ly/YA0H50YqxSL

Test Scores Tell You Who Your Child Beat, Not What Your Child Knows - Fairtest Akil Bello takes issue with the assumptions, framing and research underlying the Hechinger Report article blaming parents for trusting report cards more than standardized test scores, "with consequences for kids". Why would parents trust test scores? And while there is an underlying assumption made that grades lie, there is no interrogation of the test score

Why would parents trust grades more than test scores? Wrong question. Why would parents trust test scores? Let's interrogate whether test score reports give us meaningful information about kids rather than assume parents are ignorant. Read Akil Bello's take. #TestScores
https://ow.ly/x3tP50YqxuA

Both superseded the accomplishments of the original

Can you say Trump Stagflation?

Overselling the Mississippi Miracle Southern poverty is a policy choice

Let's not confuse Mississippi "miracle" with actual anti-poverty agenda. 4th grade test score rise not panacea. Early reading and math interventions are not a substitute for real investments in broad economic success. Economic opportunity and social mobility not that cheap.
https://ow.ly/R4yz50YmyQN

Report: Remedial Enrollments Surged at UCSD Amid Shifting Placement Testing Conditions | Just Equations

From Just Equations, more context of UCSD math report ignored by media and testing hawkers. Remedial math enrollment spiked when UCSD went to no calculators on its placement exam, not when it opened its gates to more poor kids by going test free.
https://ow.ly/hj3250YmzwT

A young girl writing in a notebook, surrounded by test tubes, learning about science in a classroom.

New paper shows harm of third-grade retention policies. Texas policy significantly reduced earnings by age 26, increased absenteeism, violent behavior, and juvenile crime and reduces HS graduation rate. Oh, test scores temporarily improved. Whoopee! #ThirdGradeRetention
https://ow.ly/KHHJ50Ymy4O

Report: Remedial Enrollments Surged at UCSD Amid Shifting Placement Testing Conditions | Just Equations

From Just Equations, more context of UCSD math report ignored by media and testing hawkers. Remedial math enrollment spiked when UCSD went to no calculators on its placement exam, not when it opened its gates to more poor kids by going test free.
https://ow.ly/hj3250YmzwT

Overselling the Mississippi Miracle Southern poverty is a policy choice

Let's not confuse Mississippi "miracle" with actual anti-poverty agenda. 4th grade test score rise not panacea. Early reading and math interventions are not a substitute for real investments in broad economic success. Economic opportunity and social mobility not that cheap.
https://ow.ly/R4yz50YmyQN

A young girl writing in a notebook, surrounded by test tubes, learning about science in a classroom.

New paper shows harm of third-grade retention policies. Texas policy significantly reduced earnings by age 26, increased absenteeism, violent behavior, and juvenile crime and reduces HS graduation rate. Oh, test scores temporarily improved. Whoopee! #ThirdGradeRetention
https://ow.ly/KHHJ50Ymy4O

A must read. We try to give students of lesser means access to the process advantages of affluence. But the key metrics for college admission, both tests and other components, wildly advantage the affluent. Need deeper policy shifts to level the field.
https://ow.ly/grH550Y50tM
#CollegeAdmissions

Missouri IADA: Monitoring Implementation, Ensuring Educational Benefits - Fairtest Missouri was granted flexibility to develop an innovative assessment system under the Innovative Assessment Demonstration Authority (IADA) program by the Trump Administration. The proposal pilots new assessments in Math and ELA in 4th and 5th grade with the goal of scaling systemwide to more useful assessments that are able to capture student competencies and allow

Missouri joins the IADA program to pilot a new assessment system. Will it improve on the current model? What should stakeholders ask during design and implementation? Read the FairTest report.

https://ow.ly/x09S50Y4Zx2

#Education #Assessment #EdPolicy #IADA #FairTest

The Bigger Picture Beyond the UCSD Math Report (opinion) Declining math skills are a real problem nationally, but UC San Diego is an unusual case—and other California colleges offer a range of promising models for rethinking calculus requirements.

UCSD report being misused through the prism of admissions testing. Penalizes students with a testing gate for lacking preparation the system inequitably provides.Really about how and what math is taught and required. UCSD only CA uni doing it light this. And other insights.
https://ow.ly/UZ4n50Y5EnC

A must read. We try to give students of lesser means access to the process advantages of affluence. But the key metrics for college admission, both tests and other components, wildly advantage the affluent. Need deeper policy shifts to level the field.
https://ow.ly/grH550Y50tM
#CollegeAdmissions

Missouri IADA: Monitoring Implementation, Ensuring Educational Benefits - Fairtest Missouri was granted flexibility to develop an innovative assessment system under the Innovative Assessment Demonstration Authority (IADA) program by the Trump Administration. The proposal pilots new assessments in Math and ELA in 4th and 5th grade with the goal of scaling systemwide to more useful assessments that are able to capture student competencies and allow

Missouri joins the IADA program to pilot a new assessment system. Will it improve on the current model? What should stakeholders ask during design and implementation? Read the FairTest report.

https://ow.ly/x09S50Y4Zx2

#Education #Assessment #EdPolicy #IADA #FairTest

The SAT has surged in popularity. The ACT is making changes. While elite colleges and students reconsidered the value of the tests and the SAT gained consumers, the ACT made changes over the past two years to claw back market share.

ACT making changes to combat market share loss to SAT. Race to the bottom for entities worried about profit and marketing, not education. FairTest comments on the problems in the testing market. Keep antitrust law alive! #ACTvsSAT #StandardizedTesting #FairTest
https://ow.ly/KXXr50Y0LQ1

The SAT has surged in popularity. The ACT is making changes. While elite colleges and students reconsidered the value of the tests and the SAT gained consumers, the ACT made changes over the past two years to claw back market share.

ACT making changes to combat market share loss to SAT. Race to the bottom for entities worried about profit and marketing, not education. FairTest comments on the problems in the testing market. Keep antitrust law alive! #ACTvsSAT #StandardizedTesting #FairTest
https://ow.ly/KXXr50Y0LQ1

Conservatives See Two-parent Households as a Solution to Student Achievement. It’s Not That Simple | KQED A family’s bank account matters more than a wedding ring, as NAEP data suggests that family structure affects student performance mostly in wealthier households.

Student achievement as measured by NAEP scores correlates with family income. Family structure doesn't matter (except for rich kids). Excellent breakdown by Jill Barshay. It's the economy, stupid. Or a poverty problem. #NAEPScores #EducationEquity
https://ow.ly/6Qbf50XXGlC

The Schools Are Failing (Again) What’s behind the latest round of public education panic?

Yes it's true. We suck. So more beatings please. Pointed and searing analysis of where this going by Jennifer Berkshire. Alliance of affluent moderates and anti-DEI voters over college admissions and nostalgic NCLB waxing not good. #NCLB #CollegeAdmissions #DEI
https://ow.ly/J6iK50XXmu1

Conservatives See Two-parent Households as a Solution to Student Achievement. It’s Not That Simple | KQED A family’s bank account matters more than a wedding ring, as NAEP data suggests that family structure affects student performance mostly in wealthier households.

Student achievement as measured by NAEP scores correlates with family income. Family structure doesn't matter (except for rich kids). Excellent breakdown by Jill Barshay. It's the economy, stupid. Or a poverty problem. #NAEPScores #EducationEquity
https://ow.ly/6Qbf50XXGlC

The Schools Are Failing (Again) What’s behind the latest round of public education panic?

Yes it's true. We suck. So more beatings please. Pointed and searing analysis of where this going by Jennifer Berkshire. Alliance of affluent moderates and anti-DEI voters over college admissions and nostalgic NCLB waxing not good. #NCLB #CollegeAdmissions #DEI
https://ow.ly/g2EZ50XXmtW

Wow. The stupidity of this is beyond the pale.