Lindsay Lohan is a model of bad choices and poor judgments. Her crazy decisions have undermined her talent, wealth, and most important relationships. She is the epitome of bad decision making (type “ridiculous behavior” or “dopey decisions” into Google and see how fast her name comes up). Given that, it is fitting to name an award for bad judgment after her.
Who is the recipient of the Lindsay? I think the most obvious choice would be PARCC, one of the multi-state consortium test developers. According to Education Week, PARCC will allow its reading test to be read to struggling readers. I assume if students suffer from dyscalculia, they’ll be able to bring a friend to handle the multiplication for them, too.
Because some students suffer from disabilities it is important to provide them with tests that are accessible. No one in their right mind would want blind students tested with traditional print; Braille text is both necessary and appropriate. Similarly, students with severe reading disabilities might be able to perform well on a math test, but only if someone read the directions to them. In other cases, magnification or extended testing times might be needed.
However, there is a long line of research and theory demonstrating important differences in reading and listening. Most studies have found that for children, reading skills are rarely as well developed as listening skills. By eighth grade, the reading skills of proficient readers can usually match their listening skills. However, half the kids who take PARCC won’t have reached eighth grade, and not everyone who is tested will be proficient at reading. Being able to decode and comprehend at the same time is a big issue in reading development.
I have no problem with PARCC transforming their accountability measures into a diagnostic battery—including reading comprehension tests, along with measures of decoding and oral language. But if the point is to find out how well students read, then you have to have them read. If for some reason they will not be able to read, then you don’t test them on that skill, and you admit that you couldn’t test them. But to test listening instead of reading with the idea that they are the same thing for school age children flies in the face of logic and a long history of research findings. (Their approach does give me an idea: I've always wanted to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, despite not having a career in baseball. Maybe I can get PARCC to come up with an accommodation that will allow me to overcome that minor impediment.)
The whole point of the CCSS standards was to make sure that students would be able to read, write, and do math well enough to be college- and career-ready. Now PARCC has decided reading isn’t really a college- or career-ready skill. No reason to get a low reading score, just because you can't read. I think you will agree with me that PARRC is a very deserving recipient of the Lindsay Lohan Award for Poor Judgment; now pass that bottle to me, I've got to drive home soon.
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