Thread: State to adjust tests immigrants take.

State to adjust test immigrants must take
EDUCATION | Critics still not satisfied, but officials say their hands are tied by U.S. rules

March 21, 2008Recommend

BY ROSALIND ROSSI Education Reporter/rrossi@suntimes.com
Illinois education officials Thursday agreed to tweak the state achievement test that next year's immigrant high school juniors will face, but local officials said the changes amounted to "putting lipstick on a pig.''

The state School Board's actions came just weeks before public school juniors who are still learning English are, for the first time, being required to take the two-day Prairie State Achievement Exam, a decision that's caused an uproar in many high schools.

The first day of the exam is devoted to administering the ACT, a test used by colleges to decide admissions. It contains questions on everything from grammar to trigonometry and uses words that even some native English speakers might find intimidating.

To give such a test to kids who are still learning English amounts to "educational malpractice. You don't do this to somebody,'' said Anne Roloff, director of curriculum for Fenton High School District 100 and a member of the Chicago Area Directors of Curriculum and Assessment.

"These kids are not on a level linguistically where they can handle college-entrance material.''

Asking teenagers who have only been in this country a year to answer ACT grammar questions is "ludicrous,'' Roloff said. "It's like being in a Kafka novel. You can't believe it's happening, it's so ridiculous.''

Translations into Spanish
Critics contend high school immigrants will face much tougher vocabulary and even fewer accommodations than third- through eighth-grade immigrant kids who took the Illinois Standards Achievement Tests this month amid a furor over their first-ever such testing.

State officials say their hands are tied by federal officials, who ruled the state's previous test for English language learners didn't meet federal No Child Left Behind standards. That forced the state to give immigrant kids the same state tests native English speakers have been taking until Illinois develops another test in other languages.

This year, teens who are still learning English can take the Prairie State, including its Day One ACT, in a small group setting. They may be allowed extra time, and can listen to the exam in English on audio cassettes, if necessary.

In another attempt to help immigrant teens, officials Thursday agreed that next school year, all math and science sections of the high school test will be translated into Spanish, the most frequently spoken foreign language.

"Good. Now they only have 54 more languages to go,'' said Ken Wallace, assistant superintendent of Maine Township High School District, which includes Maine East High, where kids speak 55 languages.

"They are putting lipstick on a pig,'' Wallace said.

Plus, the reading portion of the test still must be taken in English next year by teens in this country for more than a year.

State Supt. Chris Koch said giving the ACT to kids who might not normally take it could "open a door'' to a college they might never have attempted.

"It may remain controversial and imperfect, but it's passed peer review by the feds and it's what we have to do now.''

State Board of Education officials also revealed this week that they will be scoring this year's high school exam differently after federal officials decided Illinois was giving too much weight to each Day Two question. Day Two of the exam focuses on skills needed in the workplace, rather than skills tapped in the college classroom.

Many high schools, both in Chicago and in the suburbs, had contended that kids were blowing off Day Two because it didn't matter for college admissions. That dragged down their school's overall state test scores.

However, critics say, every test tweak makes it harder to use the exam as a measuring stick over time for improvement.

Even with the scoring adjustment, Wallace said, shoving two very different tests together has left Illinois with "a mismatch and a hodgepodge.''

"It's a very poor construction,'' Wallace said.


How would you do?
If you lived in this country for a year, could you understand this passage from the ACT Reading test?

Community courts and community justice prevailed in England at the time of the Norman Conquest. The legal system was ritualistic, dependent upon oaths at most stages of litigation, and permeated by both religious and superstitious notions. The proceedings were oral, very personal, and highly confrontative. Juries were unknown.
For the full ACT Reading test question, go to Actstudent.org.

GRAMMAR SECTION
If you lived in this country for a year, could you answer these grammar questions from the ACT English test?
Fanny Pack
Although the name -- fanny pack -- did not appeal (1) to me as the product itself did. It was sleek, (2) eye-catching, and best of all; appeared to be actually functional.
Answers
Question 1
A. NO CHANGE
B. myself, though
C. me,
D. me, like
(Answer is C)

Question 2
F. NO CHANGE
G. eye-catching, and, best, of all
H. eye-catching and best of, all,
J. eye-catching, and, best of all,
(Answer is J)
For more sample English questions, go to Actstudent.org
Source: Act.org, ACT sample questions
http://www.suntimes.com/news/education/ ... 21.article

That's great. And so when they have passed their tests in their respective language and enter colleges/universities they will take tests there also in there respective language and so on. That's just great. I guess we will become the new United Nations, so enriched with multilingualism and multiculturalism. It will be great - I can't wait. Time to invest in companies like Rosetta Stone and Berlitz!

They shouldn't even be getting a United States Highschool diploma if they aren't fluent in English....period. Love that guy though....great 1 down and 54 more to go. They're going to dumb down college just like they have the public school system. More and more seperation........part of me seriously hopes the other people push their foreign language.......want seperation.....fine....atleast it's seperate but equal instead of this garbage. Stay in your hood and keep out of mine and see how far we go.

And the quest for separation continues. One issue at a time!