Assessing proficiency in private schools

[Anonymous]

20:51 here.

To 21:31--Again, if comparing scores is an important part of looking at, applying to and then selecting a private school for you, that's fine. I think your position is reasonable, just as I think getting to know people in the community, looking at college placement, looking at the average tenure of a teaching faculty member etc are all reasonable guidelines when looking at a place for your child. Some of that information will be easy to find, some of it won't. I'm not going to speculate as to why that would be.

To 13:08--So what if someone doesn't believe using test scores isn't valid or legitimate or necessary. It's laudable you want to understand their position, but in my opinion, unnecessary. You do what's best for your family. PPs have already explained why they feel using scores isn't a good idea, just as pps have explained why they feel it is a good idea. I don't think it's the onus of the pps to make you understand why they think what they think. You've heard both sides, and now it's up to you to figure out what you want to do or not do with that information.

[Anonymous]

I take your response to mean most of us are individuals with varying experience, ability and ambition and will select a private school based on a number of criteria (of varying mix) and this is fine. Many have echoed that sentiment including those for whom test scores are most important and those for whom ambiance and fit are most important. Fortunately, there are an abundance of private schools in the D.C. area that met the criteria as the best school in the world for a particular child. No argument hear.

[Anonymous]

I take your response to mean most of us are individuals with varying experience, ability and ambition and will select a private school based on a number of criteria (of varying mix) and this is fine. Many have echoed that sentiment including those for whom test scores are most important and those for whom ambiance and fit are most important. Fortunately, there are an abundance of private schools in the D.C. area that met the criteria as the best school in the world for a particular child. No argument hear.

Excuse typos.

Let the public decide for themselves what variables they need to weigh in selecting a $35,000/year/child private institution ... family legacy, golf, crew and lacrosse team, arts, test scores, mathletes, music program ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your question is addressed to my post. No. There are other proxies and surrogate markers for those in-house tests you worship in private school. The correlation is quite good. The data that Blair Magnet and TJ release are examples of excellent correlative proxies. In other words, if you school produces only 1 or 2 NM semi-finalists/ year I guarantee the students are not doing as well on in-house ERB exams as those schools producing 30 to 40 + candidates per year. I don't really need to see the school's spread sheet.

But lots of privates are K-6 or K-8. No NMSSFs/SATs released, or Intel finalists. Some privates don't even release SATs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So it only works for you if every private school releases test data. Good luck with that.

The difference between us may be that I'm unhappy about the status quo and trying to figure out why the scores are released, while you either like the status quo or you can't be bothered to figure it out.

[Anonymous]

Yessirree. You are just really working hard here to understand others' points of view and why those scores are not released. Just working, working, working.

[Anonymous]

I'm trying to choose a private school for my DC that will maximize the income level of her future husband. It would be really helpful to me to have the following information for each private school to which we might apply: the distribution of wealth among current families (incomes and net worth, please); scatterplots showing the proximity of the schools' families to various centers of power (certainly the Obama Administration, but also corporate and cultural elites); and a longer-term analysis of how many alumns marry other alumns from the school.

It's really wrong for these schools to expect us to rely on rumor and reputation when, clearly, our childrens' futures depend on having accurate information as we make this all-important decision.

[Anonymous]

I'm trying to choose a private school for my DC that will maximize the income level of her future husband. It would be really helpful to me to have the following information for each private school to which we might apply: the distribution of wealth among current families (incomes and net worth, please); scatterplots showing the proximity of the schools' families to various centers of power (certainly the Obama Administration, but also corporate and cultural elites); and a longer-term analysis of how many alumns marry other alumns from the school.

It's really wrong for these schools to expect us to rely on rumor and reputation when, clearly, our childrens' futures depend on having accurate information as we make this all-important decision.

Giving your objectives for your daughter why waste any time going to private school? There are more sure ways for young damsels to maximise the income level of their future husband(s) should she bother to deal with these creatures. Why should private schools provide you with a Roledex to satisfy your pecuniary greed. Will you daughter in return be a big donor and donate a wing to the private school? If so, we can work some things out with our lawyers.

I assume the primary objective of D.C. private schools is to teach curricular materials. How students perform on tests is a fundamental means of evaluating how teachers perform and what students learn.

[Anonymous]

Customer's always right. More information is always better.

And, no, on the whole, standardized tests aren't how these schools evaluate what their students learn or how their teachers "perform."

[Anonymous]

I don't think most folks feel threatened by the request for test scores - they just don't think it is going to happen, at least in this application cycle. Parents who (1) want the test scores and (2) have kid(s) applying for the 2011 year may need to make decisions based on a more narrow set of data. I suspect the Big 3-4-5 will never release those scores - even in these difficult economic times they have many more applicants than open seats - at least the few left not already pledged to legacies, younger sibs, etc. So again, I don't think folks feel threatened, they just realize that the schools have little to no motivation to release scores at this time.

[Anonymous]

Customer's always right. More information is always better.

And, no, on the whole, standardized tests aren't how these schools evaluate what their students learn or how their teachers "perform."

What planet art thou residing?

Name one D.C. private school that does not use standardized tests to evaluate their students ... before admission, while in school and while exiting?
Was your daughter granted immunity since she does not take standardized tests in her private school?

[Anonymous]

They use standardized tests to evaluate their curriculum.

They use course-specific tests, writing assignments, oral presentations, etc. to evaluate what their students learn.

They use classroom observations as well as feedback from parents, students, and colleagues to evaluate their teachers' performance.

[Anonymous]

FLASHING NEWS UPDATE: PRIVATE SCHOOLS USE STANDARDIZED TESTS TO EVALUATE THEIR CURRICULUM

Private schools use standardized tests to evaluate their curriculum. This could mean an end to WPPSI, ERB, ISEE, SSAT, SAT, ACT screening for hundreds of thousands of students per year seeking admission to these hallowed halls and the death knell to tutoring parlors (e.g., Stanley Kaplan, Princeton Review, Aristotle Circle, Kumon). Both toddlers and students, and their parents, in Montgomery and Fairfax counties as well as NW D.C are all breathing a collective sigh of relief. However, some insiders in the D.C. area sense a seismic shift of test preppers from primary and secondary school students to the teachers in the local private schools. A storm is gathering afar from teachers of independent private schools to form a union to block this potential new turn of events. Teachers interviewed refused to go on the record but none of them wished to spend their summer months off prepping for standardized tests to demonstrate mastery of the very curriculum they are effectively teaching their students. Teachers due north in Manhattan are anxiously awaiting who will fire the first shot. School administrators declined to comment saying stnadardized tests are used for internal administrative purposes alone and remain confidential.

--from the Delphi Oracle (AD/DCUM)