In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Robert J. MacG. Dawson) wrote:
>
>
> Gene Gallagher wrote:
>
> > The scale is set from 200 to 280, but the maximum score that I've
seen
> > so far is 257 (Boston Latin Math). The DOE only provides these data
as
> > pdf's so it is difficult to find the max.
>
> OK, so I didn't dream it. That leaves the question:
>
> WHY????
>
> -R. Dawson
>
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I have no idea what logic went into developing this 200 - 280 point
scaling system. The point system for grading Las Vegas boxing matches
makes as much sense to me
The DOE's latest description of the conversion of raw points to scaled
scores is for the 1999 exam. These reports were issued Fall 2000. The
appendices of this 52 page pdf to the schools gives the scaling for the
1999 exam:
http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/99results/interp99/full_guide.pdf
Check out page 33 in the pdf and 31 in the report. There were 72 points
possible in the 8th grade 1999 English test but a perfect score of 72
earned the student only a 268 on the 280-point scale. I guess the
humanists at the DOE are tough graders.
In other DOE documents it states that a score over 280 or less than 200
is possible on some tests in some years, but these extremes will be
converted to 200 or 280.
In the following technical report on the 199 exam, they provide examples
of how to convert raw scores (e.g., 1 point for getting one correct
answer) to the 200 to 280 scale:
http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/2000docs/pdf/99techrep.pdf
There is something really odd about how these scaling equations are
applied. Check out page 70 of this 112 page pdf. It is page 66 using
the reports pagination. Two regression equations are provided for
converting raw scores, r, to scaled scores S
S=1.59r+177.25 if r<38.83
S=2.65r+136.19 if r>38.83
Now, the 38.83 is the raw score that a panel had decided was the cutoff
for proficiency. So, if you are proficient, every point you score adds
2.65 points to your scaled score. If the student misses the proficient
cutoff of 38.83, the raw correct answers are only worth 1.59 points.
Presumably, the reason for these odd scalings is the need to keep scores
comparable from year-to-year, but I can't justify such odd conversions.
This local MA school problem does have some nation-wide significance in
that today Pres. Bush proposed that a school that is declared failing,
based on the results of standardized tests, could have its federal funds
taken away and given to students in the form of things that sound a lot
like vouchers.
--
Eugene D. Gallagher
ECOS, UMASS/Boston
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