Thinking about the cost of evaluation

Any evaluation must consider whether the indicators to be used are truly available and high quality, and whether the cost of data collection are warranted. The failure of the four large testing companies to satisfactorily meet state testing demands created by NCLB is an excellent example of the triumph of ideology over reasoned evaluation practice. The NCLB requirement that all students in grades 3 trhough 8 be tested has created a boom for the testing industry. However, the oligopoly of the four major testing companies cannot meet the demand nor do the job well. The incidence of errors is widespread and the inability of these companies to deliver the test scores accurately and in a timely manner is apparent across the US. The article US Testing Companies Buckling Under Weight of NCLB illustrates the pervasiveness of the problems. What the article does not mention is the deep and long standing connections between the Bush family and the testing industry, particularly CTB/McGraw Hill.

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