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Closing Ceremonies: Concluding Thoughts
We now close our look at the 2012 education Olympiad and offer some concluding thoughts.
Again, 2012 may be somewhat outdated, but it was a special year in history when essentially all the major international, national, and local standardized tests were administered at more or less the same time. Those rare circumstances allowed for a cross analysis of these assessments, which yielded greater insight into comparisons about student achievement. That year also occurred at the height of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) era in public education when our culture was fixated on standardized test scores.
It is very important to remember that this exercise in analysis and its conclusions, are only valuable to the extent one believes student achievement is measured exclusively by standardized test score results.
We looked at six categories, or events, that spanned three different subjects and two different grade levels. We learned that the USA, as a whole, would not have been very competitive against the top education nations in the world–failing to win or medal in any of the events. That conclusion aligns with the stigma often perpetuated during NCLB time–that our nation’s education was not measuring up. However, as a matter of new perspective, we considered the scenario of having Montana being the USA’s lone delegation to represent them in those six events. The result of that change in circumstances yielded significantly different results, with Montana medaling in three of the six events and finishing among the top nations in the world. We can thus conclude that while the USA, as a whole, may indeed have performed below expectations, that is not true of Montana. The final medal count is shown below and indicates Montana would be worthy of congratulations.
This same conclusion is also true of many individual states. On the next chart is a list of the general results had the same competitions included each of the fifty US states competing individually–not just Montana, alone. It should be noted that this additional change in circumstances basically doubles the amount of participants in the testing with roughly half of them being US states. In that scenario, there are some additional encouraging results. As an example, in 4th grade science, US states would’ve claimed seven of the top ten spots, and that jumps to nine of the top ten in 8th grade science. Even more outstanding is 4th grade reading, where US states also would’ve also taken nine of the top ten spots, including first place and sweeping the medals. Kudos to the many other US states for doing so well–many of whom would have fared just as well as Montana as the USA’s delegation in this Olympiad!
Since additional test results allowed for further extrapolation and projection at a more local level, there is still more remarkable insight comparing the world’s top nations in education with the USA, Montana, and even Swan River School. While a perfect science in this statistical analysis cannot be claimed, the results nevertheless showed at least the same pattern in each of the six events. The USA’s red performance bar was in each case the lowest. Montana’s blue performance bar was always higher than the USA’s. Moreover, Swan River School’s green performance bar was higher than Montana’s and near or surpassing the the black performance bar representing the world’s top nations. We can thus conclude that the quality of education in Montana was very good among US states. We can further conclude that within Montana, Swan River School’s education was also very good. Based on those results, it is possible to suggest that if Swan River School had been the USA’s delegation in the competition, our Warriors might have brought home four gold medals out of the six events. Outstanding!
Even though those events were only in three subjects and two grade levels, it is a great credit to all our teachers, staff, families and community–and not just in 2012, but throughout the many years before and since. In this same vein, Swan River School met the increasingly rigorous No Child Left Behind expectations for standardized test achievement for ten consecutive years–a remarkable accomplishment, which had been thought to be unattainable. It is also worth noting that several other schools in our valley likewise achieved that same status and recognition, and we feel honored to work alongside them and appreciate their high standards for education.
The sample size for our school is no doubt very small in comparison to whatever the sample size may have been for the other states and nations that participated in those standardized tests. The reality is, our school is so small that we generally do not talk in terms of numbers, because one student in a typically sized classroom for us represents about 6% of the total class. That 6%, or one student, is probably enough, in these analyses, to make the difference between first place and tenth place in the final standings. Hence, when we talk about student achievement at our school, the truth is we talk in terms of individual students rather than percentages.
The final conclusion, therefore, is great education happens at Swan River School! Our teachers deliver high quality instruction. Our students work hard at their learning. Our parents and families do much good in promoting the value of education. It is claim backed by the evidence presented in this educational Olympiad.
Now what? Do we rest on our laurels? Of course not. To us is presented the challenge of taking what is already a great school and figuring out how to make it even better. Furthermore, with the departure from NCLB and its exclusive emphasis on standardized test results, and with the implementation of its replacement, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), states and local schools are empowered to redefine success and achievement in education.
At Swan River School, we embrace this challenge.
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This same conclusion is also true of many individual states. On the next chart is a list of the general results had the same competitions included each of the fifty US states competing individually–not just Montana, alone. It should be noted that this additional change in circumstances basically doubles the amount of participants in the testing with roughly half of them being US states. In that scenario, there are some additional encouraging results. As an example, in 4th grade science, US states would’ve claimed seven of the top ten spots, and that jumps to nine of the top ten in 8th grade science. Even more outstanding is 4th grade reading, where US states also would’ve also taken nine of the top ten spots, including first place and sweeping the medals. Kudos to the many other US states for doing so well–many of whom would have fared just as well as Montana as the USA’s delegation in this Olympiad!
Since additional test results allowed for further extrapolation and projection at a more local level, there is still more remarkable insight comparing the world’s top nations in education with the USA, Montana, and even Swan River School. While a perfect science in this statistical analysis cannot be claimed, the results nevertheless showed at least the same pattern in each of the six events. The USA’s red performance bar was in each case the lowest. Montana’s blue performance bar was always higher than the USA’s. Moreover, Swan River School’s green performance bar was higher than Montana’s and near or surpassing the the black performance bar representing the world’s top nations. We can thus conclude that the quality of education in Montana was very good among US states. We can further conclude that within Montana, Swan River School’s education was also very good. Based on those results, it is possible to suggest that if Swan River School had been the USA’s delegation in the competition, our Warriors might have brought home four gold medals out of the six events. Outstanding!
Even though those events were only in three subjects and two grade levels, it is a great credit to all our teachers, staff, families and community–and not just in 2012, but throughout the many years before and since. In this same vein, Swan River School met the increasingly rigorous No Child Left Behind expectations for standardized test achievement for ten consecutive years–a remarkable accomplishment, which had been thought to be unattainable. It is also worth noting that several other schools in our valley likewise achieved that same status and recognition, and we feel honored to work alongside them and appreciate their high standards for education.
The sample size for our school is no doubt very small in comparison to whatever the sample size may have been for the other states and nations that participated in those standardized tests. The reality is, our school is so small that we generally do not talk in terms of numbers, because one student in a typically sized classroom for us represents about 6% of the total class. That 6%, or one student, is probably enough, in these analyses, to make the difference between first place and tenth place in the final standings. Hence, when we talk about student achievement at our school, the truth is we talk in terms of individual students rather than percentages.
The final conclusion, therefore, is great education happens at Swan River School! Our teachers deliver high quality instruction. Our students work hard at their learning. Our parents and families do much good in promoting the value of education. It is claim backed by the evidence presented in this educational Olympiad.
Now what? Do we rest on our laurels? Of course not. To us is presented the challenge of taking what is already a great school and figuring out how to make it even better. Furthermore, with the departure from NCLB and its exclusive emphasis on standardized test results, and with the implementation of its replacement, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), states and local schools are empowered to redefine success and achievement in education.
At Swan River School, we embrace this challenge.
#srsgreat
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Sixth Event: 8th Grade Science
Now for the final event of our worldwide education Olympiad, we have come to 8th grade science which shares some characteristics with the ski jump. In this event, competitors upon skis descend a long ramp to pick up speed before then ascending a short ramp that abruptly ends, thereby sending the ski jumper through the air. Like a bird gliding in flight, the athlete assumes a posture in the air that intends to take full advantage of aerodynamic properties in order to fly higher and farther than any other competitor. While ski jumpers are no doubt athletes, to an extent they are also scientists as they consider such factors as velocity, trajectory and wind resistance. By 8th grade, students have learned a significant amount of science content in the areas of earth, life and physical sciences.
The 2011 TIMSS provides data on 8th grade science results among nations across the world. On the left, we see the USA finishing 10th. Again, multiple states also took the TIMSS and top individual scores are placed on the center list. Note Massachusetts finished with the second highest score in the world. Montana was not one of the states that participated independently in the TIMSS, but Montana and Massachusetts both took the NAEP science test for 8th graders at about that same time. NAEP’s interpretation of the scores indicates that there was no significant difference between the results for Massachusetts and Montana on that 8th grade science test. Therefore, the list on the right depicts the results based on NAEP’s interpretation of scores and the hypothetical scenario of the USA having Montana as their only delegation in this event. In that scenario, Montana-USA would impressively finish second among nearly 60 nations in the world.
Your medal winners in 8th grade science are Singapore with gold, Montana-USA silver, and Chinese-Taipei bronze.
What about Swan River School? What if the USA delegation were even smaller than Montana and they could only send our Warriors to compete in this 8th grade science event? How might we do? Is there a way to possibly predict this? Well, using the MontCAS data allows for something of a data based guess at this. As you can see, the extrapolated green bar is most impressive in this case with Swan River School finishing with achievement scores an astounding 18% higher that Montana’s. Where Montana was already in the second place position in the world, this score that is 18% higher would propel Swan River far beyond Singapore’s TIMSS score and earn the Warriors a gold medal.
With that as the concluding event, we next look forward to our closing ceremonies and final thoughts.
#srsgreat
The 2011 TIMSS provides data on 8th grade science results among nations across the world. On the left, we see the USA finishing 10th. Again, multiple states also took the TIMSS and top individual scores are placed on the center list. Note Massachusetts finished with the second highest score in the world. Montana was not one of the states that participated independently in the TIMSS, but Montana and Massachusetts both took the NAEP science test for 8th graders at about that same time. NAEP’s interpretation of the scores indicates that there was no significant difference between the results for Massachusetts and Montana on that 8th grade science test. Therefore, the list on the right depicts the results based on NAEP’s interpretation of scores and the hypothetical scenario of the USA having Montana as their only delegation in this event. In that scenario, Montana-USA would impressively finish second among nearly 60 nations in the world.
Your medal winners in 8th grade science are Singapore with gold, Montana-USA silver, and Chinese-Taipei bronze.
What about Swan River School? What if the USA delegation were even smaller than Montana and they could only send our Warriors to compete in this 8th grade science event? How might we do? Is there a way to possibly predict this? Well, using the MontCAS data allows for something of a data based guess at this. As you can see, the extrapolated green bar is most impressive in this case with Swan River School finishing with achievement scores an astounding 18% higher that Montana’s. Where Montana was already in the second place position in the world, this score that is 18% higher would propel Swan River far beyond Singapore’s TIMSS score and earn the Warriors a gold medal.
With that as the concluding event, we next look forward to our closing ceremonies and final thoughts.
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Fifth Event: 8th Grade Math
The fifth event is 8th grade math, which is something like alpine skiing. The assortment of skiing events includes bouncing through moguls, maneuvering around flags, flying off jumps, and rocketing very quickly down a mountain, all while maintaining balance. In 8th grade, math students bounce through algebra and geometry, maneuver in statistics and probability, fly through functions–rocketing through these many varied challenging math concepts as they prepare for high school.
Referring again to the TIMSS for 8th grade math scores, we see on the left that the USA ranks 9th in the world. The center list shows that several states took this same test independently, and four of their scores comprise the latter half of the top ten with Massachusetts finishing highest among them, at number six. Referring back to the NAEP scores for 8th grade math, the results again indicate that there was no significant difference between Massachusetts score and Montana’s. Here again, therefore, we see on the right the results as if Montana were the only state to represent the USA in this competition, and again, it is reasonable to conclude that in such a circumstance, Montana might have finished 6th in the world. That is a good effort, but not enough to win a medal.
On the podium for 8th grade math we have South Korea winning the gold medal, Singapore takes the silver, and the bronze goes to Chinese-Taipei.
How might Swan River School do in this event? MontCAS data from that year shows the our Warriors really delivered an epic performance, finishing an astounding 14% higher than Montana. The extrapolation for those results would seem to vault us even beyond South Korea into a first place finish.
Thus far, no medals for Montana-USA in the 8th grade portion of the events. Will that change in the final event, 8th grade science?
#srsgreat
Referring again to the TIMSS for 8th grade math scores, we see on the left that the USA ranks 9th in the world. The center list shows that several states took this same test independently, and four of their scores comprise the latter half of the top ten with Massachusetts finishing highest among them, at number six. Referring back to the NAEP scores for 8th grade math, the results again indicate that there was no significant difference between Massachusetts score and Montana’s. Here again, therefore, we see on the right the results as if Montana were the only state to represent the USA in this competition, and again, it is reasonable to conclude that in such a circumstance, Montana might have finished 6th in the world. That is a good effort, but not enough to win a medal.
On the podium for 8th grade math we have South Korea winning the gold medal, Singapore takes the silver, and the bronze goes to Chinese-Taipei.
How might Swan River School do in this event? MontCAS data from that year shows the our Warriors really delivered an epic performance, finishing an astounding 14% higher than Montana. The extrapolation for those results would seem to vault us even beyond South Korea into a first place finish.
Thus far, no medals for Montana-USA in the 8th grade portion of the events. Will that change in the final event, 8th grade science?
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Fourth Event: 8th Grade Reading
The fourth event of the 2012 worldwide education Olympiad has us shift our focus from 4th grade to 8th grade. Let’s begin by looking at 8th grade reading. If 4th grade reading was like skeleton, we’ll liken 8th grade reading to a similar event, the bobsled. The Bobsled race is a team event and is the fastest of the sledding events. By 8th grade, students are zooming through text at an even faster rate than in 4th grade. They are more often working together as they navigate through increasingly more difficult text and at higher rates of fluency.
The 2011 PISA test results show on the left a disappointing 24th place finish for the USA in reading among students who are about one year removed from 8th grade. The center list includes individual states performance on the PISA, and of the few that participates, we note Massachusetts placed 6th in the world. Massachusetts also took the 8th grade reading NAEP test, as did Montana. The results of that NAEP test indicate no significant difference in the test scores of Massachusetts and Montana. Thus, if Montana were the lone state to represent the USA in this competition, it is reasonable to conclude that our state would have placed 6th in the world, as shown on the right That’s not good enough to make the podium, but it’s a far cry better than 24th in the world.
Your medal winners for 8th grade reading are Shanghai-China taking gold, Hong Kong the silver, and Singapore with bronze.
MontCAS test results from that same year allow for a glimpse of how Swan River School might fare were they the only representative in the competition. Here we see the green bar showing that our Warriors again outpaced Montana by 2%. It wouldn’t be enough to catch Shanghai-China, nor would it probably be enough to medal. However, as added insight, in more recent years, our 8th graders have performed exceptionally well on standardized reading tests, typically finishing about 10% higher than the average Montana score. That huge margin certainly would be enough to medal and surpass Shanghai-China for gold.
The next event up will be 8th grade math, which something like alpine skiing.
#srsgreat
The 2011 PISA test results show on the left a disappointing 24th place finish for the USA in reading among students who are about one year removed from 8th grade. The center list includes individual states performance on the PISA, and of the few that participates, we note Massachusetts placed 6th in the world. Massachusetts also took the 8th grade reading NAEP test, as did Montana. The results of that NAEP test indicate no significant difference in the test scores of Massachusetts and Montana. Thus, if Montana were the lone state to represent the USA in this competition, it is reasonable to conclude that our state would have placed 6th in the world, as shown on the right That’s not good enough to make the podium, but it’s a far cry better than 24th in the world.
Your medal winners for 8th grade reading are Shanghai-China taking gold, Hong Kong the silver, and Singapore with bronze.
MontCAS test results from that same year allow for a glimpse of how Swan River School might fare were they the only representative in the competition. Here we see the green bar showing that our Warriors again outpaced Montana by 2%. It wouldn’t be enough to catch Shanghai-China, nor would it probably be enough to medal. However, as added insight, in more recent years, our 8th graders have performed exceptionally well on standardized reading tests, typically finishing about 10% higher than the average Montana score. That huge margin certainly would be enough to medal and surpass Shanghai-China for gold.
The next event up will be 8th grade math, which something like alpine skiing.
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Third Event: 4th Grade Science
To wrap up the events in 4th grade achievement, we turn our sights to science and figure skating. No doubt, there is a lot of force and motion involved in figure skating, but with the competition having judges and controversial scores on occasion, it suggests there is high degree of subjectivity in the event as well–at least more so than many of the other events. That is also true of this competition since the results are a little harder to formulate. But we’ll try and do the best we can.
In the 2011 TIMSS, the USA ranked 7th, as shown on the left. On the center list, we see that Florida and North Carolina also participated as independent states, but in this event, the scores for both states are on par with the USA score. There were no NAEP test results for 4th grade science for that year, however, looking at trends from NAEP tests from about that same time shows with fair consistency that Montana ranked very–typically about #2 among all fifty states with a score 5% higher than Florida–with Florida still ranking in the middle of the pack in those same NAEP trends. Thus, Montana scoring 5% higher than Florida is significant, and would figure to project Montana to about #3 in the world, as shown on the right. This is supported by the fact that 8th grade NAEP science scores are also consistently excellent for Montana. That’s a little more of a roundabout and subjective way to arrive at a conclusion for this event, but hey, it’s like figure skating.
On the podium for 4th grade science we see that South Korea take the gold, Singapore wins silver, and we’ll award Montana-USA with the bronze.
Adding in the MontCAS test results and the green bar for Swan River, we find that our school scored 4% higher than Montana as a whole. Where Montana was already an impressive 7% higher than the USA score and just 1% shy of the world leader, South Korea, Swan River’s 4% higher score over Montana should be significant enough to leapfrog past South Korea for gold.
With the worldwide education Olympiad now half over, the competition is wide open with Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Montana-USA all leading with two medals each. If you’d rather replace the USA delegation of Montana with Swan River School in this competition, then you could make a claim, based on the extrapolated data, that we have won two gold medals in three events.
We now move on to the 8th grade events and will begin with reading, which is somewhat like the bobsled competition in the Olympics.
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In the 2011 TIMSS, the USA ranked 7th, as shown on the left. On the center list, we see that Florida and North Carolina also participated as independent states, but in this event, the scores for both states are on par with the USA score. There were no NAEP test results for 4th grade science for that year, however, looking at trends from NAEP tests from about that same time shows with fair consistency that Montana ranked very–typically about #2 among all fifty states with a score 5% higher than Florida–with Florida still ranking in the middle of the pack in those same NAEP trends. Thus, Montana scoring 5% higher than Florida is significant, and would figure to project Montana to about #3 in the world, as shown on the right. This is supported by the fact that 8th grade NAEP science scores are also consistently excellent for Montana. That’s a little more of a roundabout and subjective way to arrive at a conclusion for this event, but hey, it’s like figure skating.
On the podium for 4th grade science we see that South Korea take the gold, Singapore wins silver, and we’ll award Montana-USA with the bronze.
Adding in the MontCAS test results and the green bar for Swan River, we find that our school scored 4% higher than Montana as a whole. Where Montana was already an impressive 7% higher than the USA score and just 1% shy of the world leader, South Korea, Swan River’s 4% higher score over Montana should be significant enough to leapfrog past South Korea for gold.
With the worldwide education Olympiad now half over, the competition is wide open with Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Montana-USA all leading with two medals each. If you’d rather replace the USA delegation of Montana with Swan River School in this competition, then you could make a claim, based on the extrapolated data, that we have won two gold medals in three events.
We now move on to the 8th grade events and will begin with reading, which is somewhat like the bobsled competition in the Olympics.
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Second Event: 4th Grade Math
The second event of the 2012 worldwide education Olympiad is 4th grade math. This is somewhat like speed skating. Speed skaters cover a lot of ground very quickly across a slippery hard surface, often in a repetitive elliptical pattern of laps over short or long distances. Our 4th graders cover also cover a lot of math very quickly and in a short period of time. Like hard slippery ice, math can be unforgiving when skills are not mastered, but exerting great effort, our students learn and practice skills that allow them to go long distances in this academic discipline.
The 2011 TIMSS assessment shows on the left that the USA finished a rather disappointing 11th in 4th grade math among the nations of the world. North Carolina also participated independently in the 2011 TIMSS with a score that surpassed the USA’s score. As shown in the center list, North Carolina’s score placed 7th in the world on the TIMSS. Montana did not take the TIMSS, but Montana and North Carolina both took the NAEP test, and both states had basically the same score. Thus, it is reasonable to conclude in this competition having Montana as USA’s representative, our state would have finished 7th, which is a ways off from medaling. This is shown on the list on the right.
Your medalists for 4th grade reading are Singapore wins gold, South Korea earns the silver, and Hong Kong is on the podium again, this time taking bronze.
As before, when we add the MontCAS results to the data, it shows that Swan River scored 4% higher than Montana. Montana’s score was just 2% higher than the USA’s yet that vaulted Montana ahead three places in the standings. Thus, it is reasonable to conclude that if Swan River’s score was 4% higher than Montana’s, it would possibly vault our school a few places higher and into medal contention. It is still quite a ways off of Singapore’s lofty score. Even so, we can reasonably conclude that our Swan River School students are very solid in 4th grade math.
The next event will be 4th grade science, which will be a competition that bears a strong resemblance to Olympic event of figure skating.
#srsgreat
The 2011 TIMSS assessment shows on the left that the USA finished a rather disappointing 11th in 4th grade math among the nations of the world. North Carolina also participated independently in the 2011 TIMSS with a score that surpassed the USA’s score. As shown in the center list, North Carolina’s score placed 7th in the world on the TIMSS. Montana did not take the TIMSS, but Montana and North Carolina both took the NAEP test, and both states had basically the same score. Thus, it is reasonable to conclude in this competition having Montana as USA’s representative, our state would have finished 7th, which is a ways off from medaling. This is shown on the list on the right.
Your medalists for 4th grade reading are Singapore wins gold, South Korea earns the silver, and Hong Kong is on the podium again, this time taking bronze.
As before, when we add the MontCAS results to the data, it shows that Swan River scored 4% higher than Montana. Montana’s score was just 2% higher than the USA’s yet that vaulted Montana ahead three places in the standings. Thus, it is reasonable to conclude that if Swan River’s score was 4% higher than Montana’s, it would possibly vault our school a few places higher and into medal contention. It is still quite a ways off of Singapore’s lofty score. Even so, we can reasonably conclude that our Swan River School students are very solid in 4th grade math.
The next event will be 4th grade science, which will be a competition that bears a strong resemblance to Olympic event of figure skating.
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First Event: 4th Grade Reading
Our first event of this 2012 worldwide education Olympiad is 4th grade reading. 4th grade reading is somewhat like skeleton in the Winter Olympics. How so? In skeleton, individual athletes zoom down a track on a sled going head first, completely focused, with their faces just inches from the track. Similarly perhaps, in 4th grade, we see that most individual students are focused and zooming through pages with their noses just inches from their books.
The PIRLS test provides data on 4th grade reading achievement among nations throughout the world. Looking at the results on the left, we see the USA comes in ranked 6th. Not bad, but not exactly elite either, and certainly not good enough to make the podium. Even so. In addition to the USA taking the PIRLS test that year, the state of Florida took the same test independently and did very well–so well, in fact, that Florida earned the 2nd highest score in the world, just behind Hong Kong. This is shown on the center list. Montana did not take the PIRLS test, but they did take the NAEP test along with Florida and every other state. NAEP test results from that year show that Montana’s 4th grade reading scores were identical to Florida’s. Thus, if Montana was the USA’s delegation, alone, in this Olympic education event, it is reasonable to conclude that Montana would have finished second place in the world, as shown on the right.
The results of the first event are thus, Hong Kong takes gold, Montana-USA takes silver, and Finland earns the bronze.
As an additional insight, if we extrapolate using more test data, we can see how Swan River School might have fared against the same competition. PIRLS and NAEP data gives us the black, red and blue bars. The green bar is added when we throw in the statewide MontCAS scores for 4th grade reading. If we can assume Montana’s 2012 NAEP score for 4th grade reading is equivalent to the average Montana score on the 2012 MontCAS for 4th grade reading, it reveals that Swan River School scored an impressive 7% higher than Montana. If we then project that same percentage difference back on the PIRLS test results, it would figure to put Swan River even ahead of Hong Kong’s score. Even if it is a stretch to so extrapolate, it is nevertheless reasonable to conclude that Swan River School’s 4th grade reading achievement is excellent, even when judged by the highest test score standards in the world. Just think of it, Swan River School’s 4th graders take the gold in reading!
Our next event will be 4th grade math, which might somewhat resemble the winter Olympics event of speed skating.
#srsgreat
The PIRLS test provides data on 4th grade reading achievement among nations throughout the world. Looking at the results on the left, we see the USA comes in ranked 6th. Not bad, but not exactly elite either, and certainly not good enough to make the podium. Even so. In addition to the USA taking the PIRLS test that year, the state of Florida took the same test independently and did very well–so well, in fact, that Florida earned the 2nd highest score in the world, just behind Hong Kong. This is shown on the center list. Montana did not take the PIRLS test, but they did take the NAEP test along with Florida and every other state. NAEP test results from that year show that Montana’s 4th grade reading scores were identical to Florida’s. Thus, if Montana was the USA’s delegation, alone, in this Olympic education event, it is reasonable to conclude that Montana would have finished second place in the world, as shown on the right.
The results of the first event are thus, Hong Kong takes gold, Montana-USA takes silver, and Finland earns the bronze.
As an additional insight, if we extrapolate using more test data, we can see how Swan River School might have fared against the same competition. PIRLS and NAEP data gives us the black, red and blue bars. The green bar is added when we throw in the statewide MontCAS scores for 4th grade reading. If we can assume Montana’s 2012 NAEP score for 4th grade reading is equivalent to the average Montana score on the 2012 MontCAS for 4th grade reading, it reveals that Swan River School scored an impressive 7% higher than Montana. If we then project that same percentage difference back on the PIRLS test results, it would figure to put Swan River even ahead of Hong Kong’s score. Even if it is a stretch to so extrapolate, it is nevertheless reasonable to conclude that Swan River School’s 4th grade reading achievement is excellent, even when judged by the highest test score standards in the world. Just think of it, Swan River School’s 4th graders take the gold in reading!
Our next event will be 4th grade math, which might somewhat resemble the winter Olympics event of speed skating.
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Opening Ceremonies: About the Research
Before we get to the first event of our education Olympic competition, some background information is necessary by way of research and sources. We’ll call it our opening ceremonies.
For this competition, we are going to go back in time to 2012. It is the heyday of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), which has been in place for a decade. The culture of using standardized test scores to measure public schools and student achievement has been vigorously established in our nation, which is stressing out students, causing teachers to pull their hair out and administrators to perspire profusely. Everything, it seems, depends on these tests. Schools are hungry for data, lots of data! Many important decisions are made based on that data, often while disregarding every other source of possible information. And so schools use various creative means to motivate students to perform their very best on these tests–like giving them juice to drink, snacks to eat, gum to chew, a movie to watch afterward and a party when it is all completed.
Admittedly, my representation of 2012 may be considered a little satirical, but I did live and work in education during the entire NCLB era and can tell you that over the years, I was witness to everything I described (not at Swan River). Also, I admit that data from 2012 may no longer be considered current, but the year 2012 is important because all the stars aligned–state, national and international testing–at about that time in order for for such a comparison to even be possible. I will explain.
At the state level, the MontCAS Criterion Referenced Assessment was used in Montana for many years to test student achievement in grades three through eight and also eleven, in the subjects of reading and math, with some grades also taking science–including 4th and 8th. As of a couple of years ago, the MontCAS was replaced by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium’s test (SBAC).
The National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) provides data at the national level because every state takes the NAEP. The test was congressionally mandated, began in 1996, and its intended use is to aggregate data in order to measure educational progress by states over time and allow for comparisons to be made between states. It does not provide data about schools or individual students. It is administered every two years, and therefore also yields data from 2012.
There are three noteworthy international tests. The Progress in International Literacy Study (PIRLS) began in 2001, is administered every five years, was taken in 2011 by 35 nations and measures 4th grade reading achievement. The Trends in International Math and Science Study (TIMSS) began in 1995 and is administered every four years. It was also taken in 2011 and almost 60 nations participated. The test measures 4th and 8th grade achievement in math and science. Considered the most prestigious of the three, the Program for International Student Assessment (PIRLS) started in 2000 and is administered every three years. It was taken in 2012 by 65 nations and measures achievement in reading, math and science among 15 year old students–about one year beyond an 8th grader. These tests allow for comparisons in education and student achievement to be made among many nations in 4th and about 8th grade in reading, math, and science.
One more essential piece occurred in 2012 in order to help correlate all the international, national, and state test data. In addition to the USA participating in the international tests, a handful of individual US states participated on their own, as states, in the international assessments in 2011-2012 (Massachussetts, North Carolina and Florida). Because these three states participated in both international assessments and the national assessment, their test data can be used to cross reference and project how other individual states, like Montana, may have fared on international tests and might compare with other nations in the world.
As an acknowledgment, similar research was conducted by Kalispell School District, which inspired my research and presentation on this subject.
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An Olympic Competition in the World of Education
The Olympics are happening again! I have always enjoyed watching Olympic events, as well the competition between athletes and nations.
I would like to take you on a research based journey to an Olympic competition in the world of education.
Just for fun and in the spirit of the Olympic games, I will share with you over the course of the next couple of weeks, some factual information about academic achievement. I don’t know how much standardized test scores really matter to you, but as a result of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, a culture spawned where “student achievement,” the quality of schools and national education became solely and inseparably connected to standardized test scores. Consequently, test results alone were often used to cast US public school education in a negative light and shake our citizens’ confidence in our public education.
While every school, every student, and every nation’s education can always improve, the bad wrap argument against US public schools has a couple of important holes in it. For example, it was often based on or included test results of high school aged students. This distorts the results because in the US generally most every person of that age attends school and takes those standardized tests. Conversely, in most of the “elite” education nations of the world, this is not the case. Their social cultures and educational systems are often such that only about the top third of their students–in terms of academic attainment–are still pursing education at the same age of US high school students, while the other two thirds are sorted into various occupational paths where traditional education is no longer necessary. Thus, those test comparisons are really putting America’s total 100% of students against the top 33% of students in other nations. How might things be different if it was their 100% compared to our 100%? What if we therefore took high school aged students out of the mix and instead compared younger students’ achievement?
Another thing that tends to be overlooked is that public education can differ significantly from state to state in the USA because government power over education is, in fact, delegated to the states. Again, in typical education comparisons, the entire USA is lumped together, when in fact, states perform at different levels of proficiency. Considering this point, what if the US sent just one state into worldwide competition as its delegation? What if that state was Montana? How would that shake out with Montana competing against the nations of the world?
On this journey, over the next couple of weeks, we are going to attempt to find the answer to these questions using standardized test score results. What if we compared Montana’s “student achievement” of 4th and 8th grade aged students–ALL of them–against ALL of the same aged students in other nations–not just their top 33%? This will be the premise as we will look at six “events” in this education Olympiad:
Event #1: Reading – 4th grade
Event #2: Math – 4th grade
Event #3: Science – 4th grade
Event #4: Reading – 8th grade
Event #5: Math – 8th grade
Event #6: Science – 8th grade
We’ll see who makes the podium in each event and if our education here is not better then what many have made it out to be.
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