Blog

TitleDateExcerpt
Common Core And Student Tracking In New York SchoolsThe debate over the Common Core State Standards is also a debate about how schools collect, connect, and use information about children. Standards describe…
How to Use New York’s Education Data Transparency PortalNew York families can use the New York State Education Department’s public data tools to examine test results, enrollment patterns, graduation rates, and other…
Why New York Schools Are Turning to Performance-Based AssessmentAcross New York, some districts and individual public schools are reconsidering whether a single timed test can accurately measure what students know. Their…
Checking School Tests Against Religious Holidays in New YorkA testing conflict can be difficult for families to spot because school calendars, district assessment plans, state examinations, and classroom tests may…
What New York Parents Should Know About The NYSESLATThe New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test, commonly called the NYSESLAT, measures how well a student who is learning English can…
How Common Core Changed Elementary Homework In New YorkFor many New York families, elementary homework changed noticeably during the Common Core era. Assignments became more closely connected to grade-level…
How to talk with your child’s school counselor about testingTest anxiety can affect sleep, concentration, attendance, confidence, and a child’s willingness to participate in school. A counselor can help families…
Why conservative and liberal parents support opting outThe opt-out movement has gained support from both conservative and liberal parents because standardized testing has become a point of shared concern. Families…
How to Tell Whether School Test Prep Matches Common CoreTest preparation can look rigorous without reflecting what New York students are expected to learn. A workbook may use familiar standards language, yet focus…
When a child’s test score does not seem rightA standardized test score can feel definitive, especially when it appears on a report with a proficiency label, percentile, or recommendation. Yet a single…
✉