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Tests: No Way To Be Certain About Cheating "Explosion"

Retro-Mario-in-3D-flavor "As always when we talk with journalists about this controversial issue, I was careful to note that there is no way to be certain that the actual volume of cheating cases has grown rather than the percentage that has been reported," writes FairTest's Bob Schaeffer in an email today.  "The language I typically use is 'We can't be sure what portion of 'the iceberg' we are looking at.'"

"However, based on the number of cases that have been investigated, confirmed, and covered in the media, there has been an "explosion" in the past several years, at least a tripling and probably much more in the annual rate. Based on the anecdotal material FairTest has collected, Gabriel's story was consistent with the available evidence."

So:  more coverage, but not necessarily more actual cheating.  And no real case for causality, either, since so many of the tests kids take have little or no effect on their lives (or, I would argue, the lives and careers of most teachers and educators).

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What? did you really mean to write this?

"... so many of the tests kids take have little or no effect on their lives (or, I would argue, the lives and careers of most teachers and educators)."

If so, I wonder what universe you're living in.

NY, along with other states, have passes legislation that will connect test scores to whether or not teachers keep their jobs. So I would hardly say that the tests my students take have "little or no effect" on my life and career. In fact, you can bet that I am going to be spending a LOT more time preparing my kids for their state exams. If they don't do well, I would be in definite danger of being unable to provide for my own kid. And I am certainly not the only teacher who has this concern.

You are living in Lala land

Testing IS education in most school districts in our country.

Please tell all the children who didn't pass their tests and are consequently being held back that testing has little effect on their lives.

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