PARCC Test Crashed Yesterday

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any how, don't respected tests and curriculums normally get developed in stages at an institution of higher learning that is conducting the research. Small test samples on test volunteers are done before trying to steam role out a large program. MCPS is trying to gear up a new program across multiple grades without even ensuring the technology is ready for the role out. Sure this week was a practice but the practice failed. Now what is MCPS's plan before the entire student population has to take these tests for real assessments.

First, the PARCC test is not an MCPS test. PARCC is field-testing the tests this spring in 14 states plus DC, with a milllion students.

Second, PARCC has presumably already done small-scale testing. Now PARCC is doing large-scale testing.

Third, how do you make sure that the technology is ready for the roll-out? You test it. Which PARCC is doing. Which you are complaining about.

https://www.parcconline.org/field-test

[Anonymous]

Virginia educator here: Pearson has been doing the online SOL tests for years. Last year was the first year all the elementary schools had to test online. And there were a couple of days where it crashed and kids had to wait.

[Anonymous]

PARCC testing next year is going to be an all-out disaster. 70 percent to 95 percent of children will fail. That's been demonstrated in state after state.



This is what Common Core is - total garbage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

PARCC testing next year is going to be an all-out disaster. 70 percent to 95 percent of children will fail. That's been demonstrated in state after state.

This is what Common Core is - total garbage.

I wonder what information your crystal ball is using. The information my crystal ball is using is:

1. No child has taken the actual PARCC test yet (aside from field-testing).
2. Two states have done testing (not PARCC) related to Common Core standards: Kentucky and New York.
3. The Common Core is a set of standards for math and reading/language arts. Not a curriculum, not a test, not a conspiracy. A set of standards. (And anybody who believes that the Common Core is "total garbage" is welcome to cite specific standards as support for their belief. I'm eager to find out which of the standards the PP finds bad.)

[Anonymous]

They are getting rid of the MSA'S because they test 'the lowest common denominator'.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They are getting rid of the MSA'S because they test 'the lowest common denominator'.

They are replacing the MSAs with the PARCC tests because the MSAs aren't aligned to the Common Core standards that the state of Maryland has adopted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My school is taking the paper version of the test next week to avoid computer problems. As a teacher myself. I think both the MSA and the trial PARCC are a waste of time this year. The MSA covered the old standards that were not taught this year. So teachers had to go back teaching some of the old standards to prepare them for that. Now my class and other class are getting ready to take the Reading PARCC since we were randomly chosen. Classes were chosen not students. The students will not get the scores for this test since it's being used to figure out how to give the test for next year which is why I think it is a waste of time.

So genius. . . as a teacher (I'm one.), how do you EXPECT to test validity and reliability? by assessing monkeys?

Is it any wonder the public hates us?

So genius... wow.
Feel sorry for the kids that suffer you each day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child took the PARCC math. Fourth grade. Said material hadn't been covered and was horrible. He is in compacted math and at an HGC and couldn't finish. Said MSA is super easy compared to PARCC.

+1 My HGC fourth grader said it was harder than MSA as well. And he was extremely upset at a particular question that covered material they hadn't learned yet. He felt better today after realizing that a bunch of his classmates had difficulty with the same problem, but last night was not fun.

My non-HGC fourth grader said the test was super easy. He was taking the PARCC Reading Test, not the Math. He took it in the computer lab and was able to get all the way through. However, some of his other classmates computers crashed and they could not complete the test.

Perhaps multiple versions of the PARCC 4th grade tests are being tried. Perhaps the PARCC Math test is exceptionally challenging and the Reading is not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

PARCC testing next year is going to be an all-out disaster. 70 percent to 95 percent of children will fail. That's been demonstrated in state after state.

This is what Common Core is - total garbage.

I wonder what information your crystal ball is using. The information my crystal ball is using is:

1. No child has taken the actual PARCC test yet (aside from field-testing).
2. Two states have done testing (not PARCC) related to Common Core standards: Kentucky and New York.
3. The Common Core is a set of standards for math and reading/language arts. Not a curriculum, not a test, not a conspiracy. A set of standards. (And anybody who believes that the Common Core is "total garbage" is welcome to cite specific standards as support for their belief. I'm eager to find out which of the standards the PP finds bad.)

PP above has been drinking too much of the MCPS Kool Aid. Common Core is just BS thought of by administrators, test makers, and a publisher that are making big money for this NEW curriculum. It was a way to justify their salaries and fees.

NEW doesn't mean better and the funds could have been spent more prudently elsewhere. For example, use the education dollars and time spent on actually teaching the kids, not using them as guinea pigs for your own paid research project. Use funds to pay teachers a decent salary so the best are attracted to the field and stay in the classroom. Use funds to reduce class sizes so student to improve instruction and learning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP above has been drinking too much of the MCPS Kool Aid. Common Core is just BS thought of by administrators, test makers, and a publisher that are making big money for this NEW curriculum. It was a way to justify their salaries and fees.

NEW doesn't mean better and the funds could have been spent more prudently elsewhere. For example, use the education dollars and time spent on actually teaching the kids, not using them as guinea pigs for your own paid research project. Use funds to pay teachers a decent salary so the best are attracted to the field and stay in the classroom. Use funds to reduce class sizes so student to improve instruction and learning.

Do the Common Core standards (standards; not curriculum) prevent anybody from paying teachers more and reducing class sizes?

And again, which Common Core standards, specifically, do you disagree with? Or do you disagree with the idea of common standards? Or standards, period?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My school is taking the paper version of the test next week to avoid computer problems. As a teacher myself. I think both the MSA and the trial PARCC are a waste of time this year. The MSA covered the old standards that were not taught this year. So teachers had to go back teaching some of the old standards to prepare them for that. Now my class and other class are getting ready to take the Reading PARCC since we were randomly chosen. Classes were chosen not students. The students will not get the scores for this test since it's being used to figure out how to give the test for next year which is why I think it is a waste of time.

So genius. . . as a teacher (I'm one.), how do you EXPECT to test validity and reliability? by assessing monkeys?

Is it any wonder the public hates us?

So genius... wow.
Feel sorry for the kids that suffer you each day.

You're the idiot with the low expectations who can't understand field testing.

My students and my own children aren't the ones suffering, honey.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child took the PARCC math. Fourth grade. Said material hadn't been covered and was horrible. He is in compacted math and at an HGC and couldn't finish. Said MSA is super easy compared to PARCC.

+1 My HGC fourth grader said it was harder than MSA as well. And he was extremely upset at a particular question that covered material they hadn't learned yet. He felt better today after realizing that a bunch of his classmates had difficulty with the same problem, but last night was not fun.

My non-HGC fourth grader said the test was super easy. He was taking the PARCC Reading Test, not the Math. He took it in the computer lab and was able to get all the way through. However, some of his other classmates computers crashed and they could not complete the test.

Perhaps multiple versions of the PARCC 4th grade tests are being tried. Perhaps the PARCC Math test is exceptionally challenging and the Reading is not.

My non-HCG 4th grader said days one and two (narrative - day one, expository - day two) were easy. Today, MCPS has internet issues. So they couldn't test. But I expect they'll make it up on Friday.

I don't think they have different versions (different levels of rigor), but you never know!

[Anonymous]

It could just be that math is harder on PARCC then reading. My child who took math said that they were orignally given 50 minutes to complete 11 problems and the kids couldng finish so they have them 25 more minutes. So they seem to be testing the time. Also, seems weird that were only 11 problems. I assume they were multi part questions.

[Anonymous]

It could just be that math is harder on PARCC then reading. My child who took math said that they were orignally given 50 minutes to complete 11 problems and the kids couldng finish so they have them 25 more minutes. So they seem to be testing the time. Also, seems weird that were only 11 problems. I assume they were multi part questions.

[Anonymous]

Today was the last scheduled day for PARCC. However, the test crashed again today. Both my elementary school child and my middle school child sat in the computer labs for 45 minutes with nothing to do. My middle school child is in an advanced math class which he has been missing due to the timing of the PARCC test. The staff would not let him go to his class which caused him to miss the instruction for no reason.

My suggestion - don't waste time with the technology. Develop paper and pencil tests.

I don't think any usable data was retrieved for the week. The testing cannot take place on Friday because the students do not go to school on Friday.