California’s Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests are being revised for the 2014-2015 school year.
The new STAR tests will be computerized and rewritten to better reflect the newly adopted Common Core State Standards which emphasize in-depth learning, critical thinking and writing. State Superintendent Tom Torlakson says the proposed tests will help schools measure their students’ capacity to face challenges outside of school. Additionally, Torlakson wants to eliminate STAR testing of freshmen and sophomores.
“These new assessments,” said Torlakson in a statement, “will provide our schools with a way to measure how ready students are for the challenges of a changing world.”
The new changes may also reduce the impact of cheating.
A recent report from the National Center for Fair and Open Testing discovered cases of cheating on standardized tests in 37 states including California. In some communities, teachers manipulated test scores by marking low-performing students absent, changing answers on submitted tests and drilling students on actual test questions.
Daniel Foltz, a sophomore at Palos Verdes Peninsula High School, believes that cheating reduces the accuracy of standardized tests.
“[If there is cheating,] we aren’t being judged on how smart we are. We’re being judged on how good of a cheater our teacher is,” he said.
Some observers, however, do not believe that new tests will completely eradicate cheating.
According to Palos Verdes sophomore Noha Ayoub, “Cheating will happen regardless of the new system and solvency will only be found if the incentive to cheat is removed.”
Since 1998, California has used the STAR test to help measure school performance. STAR tests contribute to schools’ Academic Performance Index (API) ratings, which are considered in state funding decisions.
Claire Pang
Claire Pang is currently a sophomore at Palos Verdes Peninsula High School. This will be her third semester as a student reporter. She enjoys reading, writing and informal debating. When she isn’t doing any of those things listed above, she is probably procrastinating on the Internet, watching sitcoms no one else watches and talking during an inappropriate time.
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