What Benchmarking Jurisdictions Have Assessments in Mathematics?
Across the United States, many states are conducting
assessments based on their own content standards and are assessing
whether students in their schools are meeting these standards for
academic achievement. Forty-three states have some type of criterion-referenced
mathematics assessment aligned to state standards.(5)
All 13 Benchmarking states had developed or were developing state-level
mathematics assessments aligned with their state curriculum frameworks
or content standards. As summarized in Exhibits
5.10 and 5.11,
most of them reported recently revising or developing their criterion-referenced
assessment to align with their current eighth-grade framework/standards.
Assessments in Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts,
North Carolina, and Texas were reported to be in revision, and those
in Illinois, Michigan, and South Carolina to be in development. In
addition to these criterion-referenced assessments, seven states (Idaho,
Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, and South Carolina)
reported using norm-referenced mathematics tests to assess student
mathematics achievement statewide.
All the Benchmarking states except Pennsylvania have participated
in recent state mathematics assessments as part of the National Assessment
of Educational Progress ().
Ten of the 13 states participated in both 1996 and 2000, and Idaho
and Oregon in one of the years.
As shown in Exhibit
5.12, six of the Benchmarking states use or plan to use performance
on a mathematics assessment as a requirement for graduation from high
school. In Indiana and Texas, the exit exam was based on the state
mathematics standards. In Maryland, North Carolina, and South Carolina,
they were basic skills competency tests not based on state standards,
but these states were in the process of changing to standards-based
exit exams. Massachusetts was planning to institute a standards-based
exit exam beginning with the class of 2003.
Benchmarking states reported a range of other consequences of their
mathematics assessments for students, apart from their use as a graduation
requirement. For example, Connecticut, Oregon, and Pennsylvania reported
that they affix a certificate or seal to students’ diplomas to
show that they have met the performance goal on the state high school
mathematics assessment; Illinois, North Carolina, Oregon, and South
Carolina reported a policy of using assessment results to assist in
making promotion decisions; Texas was phasing in a promotion policy;
and Connecticut was encouraging its districts to reevaluate their
social promotion policies. As an incentive, students meeting the standards
in Michigan and Missouri could receive state funds to support their
academic careers through scholarship money and funds for advanced
course work, respectively. No consequences for students based on test
results were reported in Idaho, Maryland, and Massachusetts, and no
additional consequences beyond that of the high school exit exam for
students in Indiana.
Benchmarking states also reported a range of consequences at the
district or school level. Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, and
North Carolina reported that additional funding was made available
to low-performing schools and districts to support remediation. In
Indiana, Oregon, and South Carolina, districts were required to provide
remediation to students with low scores on the state assessments.
States had the right to take over schools or districts in Maryland,
Massachusetts, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. While consequences of assessments
for schools or districts usually involved remediation activities or
sanctions, Connecticut, Indiana, and Maryland provided monetary rewards
to districts and/or schools that showed improvement.
As shown in Exhibit
5.13, almost all the Benchmarking districts and consortia (13
of 14) participated in the mathematics assessments administered by
their state. The Fremont/Lincoln/Westside Public Schools of Nebraska
was the only district or consortium that reported having no state-administered
assessments. Most districts and consortia also conducted district-wide
assessments at the local level. Four districts reported using local
standards-based assessments: Jersey City, Miami-Dade, Montgomery County,
and Naperville. The Chicago Public Schools and the First in the World
Consortium reported that they are developing district-wide mathematics
assessments. Some districts in the Project smart Consortium also administered
district-developed assessments. Eight districts and consortia reported
that norm-referenced tests were used for student assessment at the
district level. Guilford County was the only district or consortium
that reported having no assessments beyond those administered by the
state.
