Are test scores a good indication of a school's

competency?
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Are test scores a good indication of a school’s competency?

Test scores of Student’s are observed as an essential means of assessing an institution’s

progress in comparison to all other educational institutions. Conventionally, students’
acquiring high scores are deemed as the bright and all the schools sight them as their levers
reserves that are a means of enhancing the institute reputation (Astin, 5). This paper caters
with a scrupulous description of the degree to which test scores are useful in reviewing a
school’s competency. It emphasizes the factor influencing the assessment founded upon
appraisals of school competency level connected to test scores of student. It as well
presents a number of substitute methods in positioning the utilization of test scores in an
additional precise means consecutively to determine school competency methodically.

Argument

Test scores are a functional tool in assessing the schools performance given that they are
construed extremely cautiously, keeping in mind the objectives and reasons of tests. A
solitary test can simply replicate a test of skills; consequently, each score engross mistake
to some extent. Preponderance of factors control scores, predominantly reliability and
validity. If reliable tests are taken at standard intervals, they give up steady results. Valid
tests similar to the ones testing reading decoding students skills are useful in unraveling
the strong and weak students. Owing to this valid and reliable tests are tremendously
useful in unraveling the fine category of students (Popham, 15).

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The center function of a school is to educate its students the material on the syllabus. The
mainly most favorable approach to discover the capabilities of learning of the students is to
review them in the course of proper tests. This is the grounds why test scores specify school
competency to the level of teaching. Excellent test scores point out that the material is fine
taught by the teachers of school and is influential in students motivating to study for the
test. It specifies that the school teachers give emphasis to in choosing the material the
majority expected to appear in exam as contrast to the mainly functional material (Astin,
7). High test scores specify that the material is drilled extremely well into the students the
heads and they learn it well. On the other hand it does not explain that whether the
material is fine understood or is merely reproduced on the base of the just mugging up
facts feed into the students minds.

Schools sense extremely proud and get huge status when their students accomplish high
scores in tests. People as well are inclined to continue those schools simply in their good
books, whose students are accomplishing high scores in test (Astin, 8). Parents review a
quality standard of a school’s by having a glance at the scores achieved by the school
students. Test scores specify a school’s competence in capitulating qualified candidates for
future. Test scores are the simply means which present an neutral means of assessing
competency, in spite of the fact that they do not cover up all the features necessary for
evaluating system of education of a school.

Supplementary resources similar to government funds and distribution of rewards and

scholarship by the governmental participate a significant function in enhancing a
competency level of school. These resources are awarded to schools on the base of test
scores obtained by the students. Consequently high test scores will improve the likelihood
of a school in achieving these supplementary resources which will eventually receive a fine
name for the school and will improve the competency level of school’s too.

Counter Argument

Some test scores apart from this, simply furnish definite purposes. Standard scores and
percentiles do not offer facts for growth of student, they merely offer a virtual standing in
comparison to others. Scores similar to words read properly or numeral of multiplication

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problems solved properly replicates a progress of students above time (Popham, 27). The
entire these scores point out how well a school adds in making children to be taught up to
the fullest extent.

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Test scores are one of the more than a few ways of determining competency of a school, yet
it is not the solitary means to do so owing to a diversity of reasons. Test scores simply
calculate academic competency and does not cover up regions similar to school catering
and transport, student behavior standards extra-curricular activities, general atmosphere
of the school, etc. All these features comprise an essential part of school appraisal.
Furthermore, high scores as well point out a prospect that the school might not be
competent to aid less competent students, or it does not affably provides the ones having
education disabilities. It is an analytic of the reality that the school is not fine at demeanor
undisciplined kids, who are not in a temper to be taught and merely kicks them out. An
atmosphere which is entirely centered on academic accomplishment does not be apt to be a
well alternative for kids (Smith, 11). Students endeavor for grades simply in such an
environment and activities similar to art, drama, sports, and socialization are missing
behind (Smith, 13). An extreme spotlight on basic math and reading scores can direct to
over-simplifying and narrowing the curriculum to simply the formats and subjects that are
tested. This effect in reducing the consideration to science, history, the arts, civics, and
foreign language, in addition to to writing, research, and additional intricate tasks of
problem-solving (Popham 80). This eventually alters the spotlight of the school towards
academics solitarily, which is not the only prerequisite for acquiring brilliance in education
for schools.

Alternative Approaches towards Measuring School Competency Level Using Test Scores

Test scores can simply be helpful in demonstrating the schools competency level located in
a exacting area, experience equal demographic conditions and consisting of children at the
similar level. On the other hand, if public schools in a variety of areas are assessed on the
base of test scores, then such assessment as well needs to remember the conditions
adjacent a exacting education system of a school. Test scores might be additional
functional and precise in determining the school competency level when employed in
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combination with a variety of other tools and techniques. Test scores require being
included in school’s competency; on the other hand they must not be the individual
decision maker for educational decisions concerning, retention, or graduation (Braun 15).
Tests scores can be employed in combination with parent information, every day work
samples, and history of school and its fit surroundings for evaluating the school
competency level. The efficacy of test scores can additional be enhanced competent
assessment personnel similar to school psychologists provide a hand in preparing suitable
mechanism for interpreting and testing their results.

Conclusion

Students Test scores are at the present used as a means of computing efficiency on the base
of student outcomes, as opposite to teacher input. A school is deemed to be extremely
reputed if it has bunch of students accomplishing high scores in tests. Test scores on the
other hand provide a hand in representing academic competency merely and the degree to
which the training were sound taught in school. In additional words high test scores merely
offer a snap of student ability and do not offer an report of student’s supplementary skills
and activities. In addition, test score do not evaluate the standards of behavior in schools,
their environment, teaching techniques and styles of teachers. Test scores have got to not
be exclusively used for assessing the competency of schools. On the other hand they can be
employed in combinations with tools like teacher’s interviews, videotapes from class,
lesson plans, etc. to obtain an exact standing of a competency level of schools.

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