PARCC Assessment in MD: Alternatives to a Failing Test

Here is the "White Paper" that MCPS and MSDE don't want you to read:

The PARCC Assessment in Maryland, Alternatives to a Failing Test.
8/6/2015

From the Executive Summary:

Every state administers standardized tests to identify gaps in learning and to determine where
students are in their educational process. The recently implemented Partnership for Assessment
of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) assessments, however, have provided more costs
than benefits in pursuit of this goal.
During its first year in Maryland schools, the PARCC exam has experienced several
difficulties which have countered the benefits of administering the assessment including
inefficient use of time, low construct validity, and technological problems. The test also fails to
provide incentives to teachers, students, and administrators, as there are no consequences for
poor performance. These problems reflect weaknesses in both the test itself and its
implementation. In addition, recent attrition among PARCC members makes
it difficult to identify the test as a national standard, despite that being the exam’s
original purpose.

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