by Jordan Candler: One metric colleges use (to a formerly greater extent) to determine a student’s academic ability is the SAT test. These scores not only help determine acceptance letters, they also provide a snapshot of trends in academic testing. In this regard, the trend is not good. Scores have been stagnant at best and lower overall.
This isn’t entirely surprising when considering other statistics. As economist Walter Williams has reported, “According to The Nation’s Report Card, only 37 percent of 12th-graders were proficient in reading in 2015, and just 25 percent were proficient in math. For black students, achievement levels were a disgrace. Nationally, 17 percent of black students scored proficient in reading, and 7 percent scored proficient in math. In some cities, such as Detroit, black academic proficiency is worse; among eighth-graders, only 4 percent were proficient in math, and only 7 percent were proficient in reading.”
It’s almost hard — if not impossible — to imagine SAT scores getting any better with such paltry literacy rates, like the ones above, absent significant overhauls. These would not include the overhauls made recently to the SAT, which appear to be creating unfounded optimism. According to The Washington Post’s Nick Anderson, “Last year, the College Board eliminated the notorious guessing penalty on the SAT, jettisoned some tricky vocabulary and took other steps, hoping to make the test a more straightforward measure of achievement. The board also returned the top score to the iconic number parents and grandparents remember: 1600. What resulted were apparently higher marks. But that doesn’t necessarily mean students are smarter.”
Unfortunately, this new method — which shows seemingly “improving” scores, though probably erroneously — is only part of a broader problem. Even if test scores rose dramatically in 2017, a comparison of past and present exam questions suggests that today’s students aren’t nearly as literate as previous generations. Researcher Annie Holmquist shows that while today’s SAT may provide a range of basic multiple choice questions, students in years past were compelled to be far more articulate.
“Consider the 1912 history exam from the College Board, the precursor to the modern SAT,” writes Holmquist. “It not only seeks written, essay-like answers, it also expects students to come prepared to draw on knowledge that they have learned beyond a textbook.” Holmquist opines, “It’s not hard to guess the type of outcry which would be raised if today’s students were expected to pass a test such as the above, which not only features difficult questions, but appears to give extra consideration to students who demonstrate ability to connect the dots of learning without being spoon-fed pre-formed answers.”
It’s not just scores that have changed, but the nature of testing as well. Both are demonstrable proof that our education system needs a significant revamping. And it’s as easy as getting back to our roots. ~The Patriot Post
https://patriotpost.us/articles/51642
{jewishworldreview.com} ~ As police try to find answers to why Stephen Paddock allegedly shot and killed 59 people and wounded over 500 at a country music concert in Las Vegas, the liberal media amps up its tired mantra against guns.
Democrats immediately called for more gun laws while the latest Reuters report claims that ISIS is claiming shooter was a recent Islam convert.
Meanwhile all opinion pundits are pontificating on why this happened.
I'll wait until all the facts are in but I will say this; gun laws would NOT have prevented the Las Vegas carnage and the liberal response to the tragic murders is simply reprehensible.
What is it about social media venues like Facebook and Twitter that make people express vile, despicable comments?
A top legal executive at CBS, Hayley Geftman-Gold, has no sympathy for those murdered by the Las Vegas madman because she wrote, "bc country music fans often are Republican gun toters."
Infamous British atheist, Richard Dawkins tweeted this gem, "Durn tootin', great shootin'. Cool dude sertin' he's 2nd Mendment rahts. Hell yeah!"
Massachusetts Democrat, Rep. Seth Moulton would not participate in a moment of silence for the innocent victims and tweeted, "Now is not a moment for silence; it's a time for action."
Before the murdered country western concert victims have even been identified, Democrats were trotting out former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, survivor of gun violence by a lunatic, as a prop for their anti-gun, anti-NRA campaign. I seem to recall after Giffords was shot with several other innocent victims by Jared Lee Lougher, conservatives reacted with sympathy and compassion. Not the left which never lets a crisis go to waste when they can demonize the right.
That's right, folks. The answer to all mass murders is more gun control laws.
The fact that criminals who perform these acts don't pay attention to these laws or they are never enforced makes no difference to politicians eager to pretend that they know what they are doing.
Although not much is known right now about the alleged suspect Mr. Paddock's motivation, it may help to ponder whether the choice of victims is a clue.
Yes, it is true that many CW fans lean right, probably vote Republican, probably believe in the second amendment and may own guns, as is their right.
They are also loathed by most Hollywood celebrities and are mocked nightly by late show hosts like Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel.
This antipathy has flooded the airwaves since last November when Donald Trump was elected president.
The venom is unprecedented and like many conservatives I have felt its wrath personally in my own family.
The inability by many Democrats to accept what 63 million Americans voted for last year has divided this country as painfully as during the Civil War.
The mainstream media agree with failed candidate Hillary Clinton when she described those who supported Donald trump: "You know, to just be grossly generalistic, you could put half of Trump's supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables. Right? The racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic --- you name it. And unfortunately there are people like that. And he has lifted them up."
Just in case people didn't know who likes country music, CNN's Jeff Zeleny said, "keep in mind" that there is significant crossover between Trump supporters and country music fans."
I'm an Hispanic Trump supporter who doesn't particularly care for modern CW music and I'll bet that not all the people who were slaughtered in Vegas voted for Trump but then when has the media not stooped to generalities in lieu of accurate reportage?
It could be that the alleged suspect did not target Republican Trump supporters but let's not forget that James T. Hodgkinson who shot and nearly killed House Majority Whip Steve Scalise specifically targeted the Republicans practicing for a charity baseball game.
As you may notice I have used the word alleged when referring to Mr. Paddock who does not fit any of the profiles of a mass murderer. No one has actually seen Mr. Paddock shoot anybody and the police found him dead of an apparent suicide. I wish that reporters would wait until all the facts have been thoroughly investigated as to how the guns were brought into the hotel room without the housekeeping staff seeing all the weapons found there.
Would it hurt the media to wait until casino cameras are checked to see how so many guns were brought into the Mandalay?
I'm not suggesting that the suspect did not do the murders but the rush to be first with the news is destroying the fourth estate. It has become beyond irresponsible by repeatedly stating that this shooting sets a record as the worst in U.S. history.
Somewhere out there is a maniac wanting to break that record.
G0D have mercy on us.
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