The Secret Questions of Pearson's Tests Raise More Questions

25% of the Mona Lisa

An article yesterday in the New York Times pointed out that 37 principals in Manhattan have taken a stand against the 2014 round of Common-Core aligned state tests.  Principal Bender of Public School 11 in Chelsea called the third-grade tests "atrocious."  Being under a state-issued gag order, he could not discuss any specifics.  

The state will post 25% of the exam over the summer, as it did with last year's exams.  Commissioner King noted, "We give a narrative explanation of why the correct answers were correct, and the incorrect answers were incorrect."  (Admittedly, this is preferable to having to do the opposite!)  The other 75% of the exam remains concealed due largely to concerns that teachers might prep with perfection to the test if all the contents went public.

I can understand the state's concerns, but the gag order is excessive.  If experts in the field feel that some of the questions are inappropriate, parents must have the right to know more.  Where is the freedom of information law when you need it?  Releasing 25% percent of the questions is nice, but it doesn't give us an adequate picture of the nature of the beast.  It may not even be a representative sample.  It certainly won't assuage most people's concerns.  It may be that without the other 75% we will not be getting the full picture!