English Language Learners and Standardized Tests

A surge in limited English proficiency (LEP) enrollment became a nationwide phenomenon between 1995 and 2005, as virtually all regions of the country experienced a rapid growth in immigrant population. In Buffalo, the increase in ELL students stemmed largely from the active resettlement of refugees from around the world in Buffalo. In 2004-2005, Buffalo had 2,539 LEP students who collectively spoke 46 different languages. In 2009-2010, that enrollment number shot up to 3,481 students, who spoke 67 languages. In Buffalo, as in many locales, the rise in ELL learners has coincided with a dramatic increase in high stakes standardized testing; unfair testing policies being employed have often failed to reflect the realities of English language learning

Using Customized Standardized Tests

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Standardized exercise tests in horses : current situation and future perspectives

The purpose of this literature review is to clarify how exercise capacity can be measured in horses and which standardized exercise tests (SETs) exist. In this review, the measurement of the exercise capacity of horses is discussed and the standardized exercise tests (SET) are described. Two main types of SETs are used. Laboratory or treadmill tests are easy to standardize and provide more options to use all kinds of measuring devices, since the horse stays on the treadmill. On the other hand, field tests are conducted under the natural conditions associated with the specific sports discipline, and are easier to implement in the training schedule. However, field tests encompass interfering variables, such as weather conditions, ground surface conditions and the rider or jockey. Several variables are measured in order to calculate the fitness level which may be expressed by different parameters, such as V200 (speed at a heart rate of 200 beats per minute), V1a4 (speed at a blood lactic acid level of 4 mmol/L) and VO2max (maximum oxygen uptake)

The Takeover of Standardized Tests

Diane Ravitch once said, “Sometimes the most brilliant and intelligent students do not shine in standardized tests because they do not have standardized minds”. Standardized testing is a very controversial issue occurring in our school systems today. Standards hold schools and teachers accountable for properly progressing our youth through school. However, is administering the same exact test to every child in every school district the best way to measure growth? There are many factors that makes up a school and student body such as poverty, cultural beliefs etc. These factors are not addressed in the standardized tests that our students take year in and year out. Throughout this research paper, there are many options explored to replace standardized tests, survey results from a local school district’s students pertaining to their opinions of the test, and other issues caused from the tests. There is no set answer as to if these tests will be going away any time soon, however many educators, parents and community members are beginning to take steps to ensure there are no more standardized tests

Review of the methods to determine the hazard and toxicity of pesticides to bumblebees

Methods to determine the impact of pesticides on bumblebees are described. They are classified into laboratory tests to determine the acute toxicity and the hazard to bumblebees, (semi) field tests, and brood tests. The reproducibility and the significance of the data for practical purpose are discussed. Standardized laboratory toxicity tests supply reproducible data. In hazard tests, both in the laboratory and semi field tests, the exposure is not proportionate to the number of adult insects and the brood. Field tests provide realistic data on the hazard of a pesticide to bumblebee colonies but when the results are interpreted it must be taken in account that the test plot is only a portion of the total foraging area of a bumblebee colony. In a brood nest, due to the disorderly structure, only major effects can be recognized. Laboratory rearing of bumblebee brood should be developed to produce a standardized brood test that supplies reproducible dat

The Downside of Standardized Testing

Children in the United States are tested “to an extent that is unprecedented in our history and unparalleled anywhere else in the world.” The federal No Child Left behind Act has triggered a standardized testing “explosion,” the repercussions of which have been felt throughout the nation. Standardized tests are those where “all students answer the same questions under similar conditions and their responses are scored in the same way, and may include multiple-choice or open-ended (constructed) responses.” These tests become “high-stakes” when the test results are used to determine significant decisions about student education, such as passing a grade level or graduating. Standardized test results in the U.S. are also being used to measure the performances of teachers, schools, and school districts

A list of external standardized tests

External standardized tests used by individual program