Item Spotlight: Inside a Research Simulation Task
Several times a year, we gives readers an in-depth look at the thought process that goes into the production of New Meridian test questions and performance tasks. The goal is to better understand how test items align with academic standards to produce high-quality assessments. The Question: In a retired Research Simulation Task (RST) developed for […]
Propel America Connects Students with Opportunities Right in Their Own Communities
Roughly 20 million Americans were enrolled in two- and four-year colleges across the United States last year, a figure that sounds impressive until you realize that only about 57 percent of U.S. students actually graduate. More than a third never receive a credential of any kind—and the impact is profound. Students who drop out of […]
The Prime Issue 6
Investing in Innovation: Where’s the federal Support? Educators and policy leaders might be forgiven for not often turning to the Federal Register for inspiration. But buried there in the ESSA regulations is a truly inspired effort to resolve one of the most vexing tensions shaping our national discussion on the role of assessment: The Innovative […]
New Meridian Supports Classrooms Through DonorsChoose
When Tangela Kirkpatrick needed books for her first graders at Lewisdale Elementary School in Hyattsville, Maryland, she turned to DonorsChoose. “My classroom library has a variety of books but unfortunately does not meet the needs of all of my students,†she wrote in an appeal to donors, who can use DonorsChoose to help her classroom directly. […]
The New Jersey District That Became a Beacon
When Elizabeth Giacobbe arrived as superintendent of the Beverly City School District in 2011, it was already on New Jersey’s list of troubled districts. There was little in the way of curriculum, she said. Students sat in one classroom all day and were taught by one teacher, even in middle school. Some teachers were working […]
A Nonprofit’s Ambitious Initiative is Being Credited for Making Report Cards More User Friendly
Editor’s Note: This is the fourth and final installment of The Prime’s Decoding the Data series, which examines organizations that report assessment data in new and creative ways. The entire series can be viewed on New Meridian’s website. Several years ago, a casual conversation among a handful of leaders at the Data Quality Campaign (DQC) led to […]
The Prime Issue 5
The Real Value of State Assessments New Meridian recently hosted a dozen chief state school officers at our annual convening on assessment literacy, which focused on assessment as a lever for equity and change. It was clear throughout the day that states are rethinking assessment. As they transition beyond NCLB-era compliance toward ESSA-era flexibility, chiefs […]
Item Spotlight: Examining a Fourth-Grade Research Simulation Task
There is no better way to determine the quality of an assessment than by evaluating its test questions. The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), a national non-profit that represents public officials who lead state education departments, says that good tests should be aligned with rigorous academic standards. Questions on tests should be designed […]
Redefining an American Staple: The Parent-Teacher Conference
Editor’s Note: This is the third installment of The Prime’s Decoding the Data series, which examines organizations that report assessment data in new and creative ways. See the entire series on New Meridian’s website. What comes to mind when you picture a parent-teacher conference? Do you rush to the school and then stand in the hall waiting […]