Two city schools flagged in testing audit

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February 15, 2010

By Dean Poling The Valdosta Daily Times Mon Feb 15, 2010, 11:03 PM EST

VALDOSTA — A state education analysis has flagged two Valdosta schools as being of “concern” regarding the number of erasures from wrong to right answers on standardized tests.

In analysis of the spring 2009 Criterion Referenced Competency Test, results showed that W.G. Nunn Elementary School had a rate of 10.3 percent of test-takers changing answers, making it of “minimal concern,” while J.L. Newbern Middle School had a rate of 15.4 percent of test-takers changing from wrong to right answers, rating it as being of “moderate concern.”

Other Valdosta city schools, as well as all other schools in The Valdosta Daily Times’ coverage area — Lowndes, Berrien, Brooks, Clinch, Cook, Echols and Lanier — fell into the “clear of concern” category meaning these schools each had less than 6 percent flagged. Many area schools had 0 percent flagged.

The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement and the state’s testing vendor, CTB/McGraw-Hill, conducted the erasure analysis concerned of potential test tampering in the state’s schools.

They developed four levels of concern: Clear of concern (where all other regional schools place); minimal concern (schools in the 6-10 percent ratio, such as W.G. Nunn); moderate concern (11-24 percent, where J.L. Newbern placed); and severe concern (schools having 25 percent or more of its classes flagged).

The analysis looked only at testing in grades one through eight. In all, 80 percent of Georgia’s schools placed in the clear of concern category. Nearly 200 state schools placed in the other concern categories.

“CTB psychometricians scanned answer documents to identify total erasures per classroom, flagging those classrooms in which the number of wrong-to-right changes proved to be three standard deviations or more above the state average,” according to the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement. “Less than 0.15 percent of test-takers would be expected to fall in that range naturally.”

With Valdosta City Schools out on break Monday, calls for comment to the Valdosta City Board of Education went unanswered.

Based on its analysis, the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement has issued recommendations for the state Board of Education to apply toward schools of concern.

For schools of minimal concern, like W.G. Nunn, the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement recommends the local school board monitor the test environment of the flagged school; or the school board rotate teachers in the flagged school. The school board should also offer appropriate student support services based on any irregularities of concern discovered.

For schools of moderate concern, like J.L. Newbern, the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement recommends random spot checks by state monitors; the city school superintendent conduct an investigation, submitting the results to the governor’s office; rotate teachers during CRCT; monitor the test environment. The local school board should also notify parents; offer student support services as appropriate based in outcomes of the local investigation.

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