Assessing Children in North Carolina 

In North Carolina, starting in 3^rd grade through 8^th grade, students are assessed at the end of each school year with the End-of –Grade assessments for Reading and Math.  At the end of 5^th and 8^th grades, students also take the science EOGs.  Students’ scores are compared to other students throughout NC.  A passing score is a rating of a 3, with a 4 being the highest score.  If you receive a 2, you are given several days of remediation tutoring before being retested.  If you receive a 1, you are given a choice whether or not to go through remediation and be retested. 

Considering a commitment to viewing young children holistically, teachers view the EOG scores as a snapshot of the students’ academic performance that school year.  They take into account that some students are not the best standardized test takers.  They also look at how the student has performed academically, socially, and emotionally in the classroom and measure their success based on that performance.  In addition, they take into account the student’s learning style and how the student has met the state standards throughout the year.  Some students are more verbal with their answers and do better explaining their answers in class discussions rather than finding the best choice on a multiple choice bubble sheet.  Some students are more expressive drawing out their answers because they are more artistic.  Some students need the opportunity to dramatize a story or put it to music.  Some students are more hands-on learners, where as others are more analytical.  Viewing the whole child, it is important to see that he/she has met the state standards for their grade level, as well as, has the emotional and social development for the next grade level. 

The concern I have with the EOGs, is the pressure placed on the students.  So many students stress about failing this end-of-year assessment.  Also, it is quite evident to the other students, who are not in remediation, which students did not pass the test.  That is an unfortunate aspect of the remediation process because the test scores are confidential and that aspect is very public. 

Singapore 

The education system in Singapore places a great deal of importance on assessment (Singagpore).  Students are assessed throughout their educational career (Singapore).  Workbooks are used constantly in the schools and at home to assess how the students are progressing (website SGBox.com).  Compulsory exams are given at different stages in their schooling and the results affect how the students are educationally tracked (Singapore).  For example, the Primary Six Leaving Examination (PSLE) is taken at the end of Primary 6, our 6^th grade, to determine who will progress to which type of secondary schools (website SGBox.com).  It is not difficult to determine based on the two groupings which category of students scored higher on the examination.  There is the Special/Express Stream, or the Normal Stream (website SGBox.com).  Furthermore, the Normal Stream is divided into two smaller groups: normal academic studies and normal technical studies (Singapore).  These are comparable to our 7^th through 10^th grades (website SGBox.com).  Once these courses are completed, these students are given another compulsory exam.  Students who pass the GCE ‘O’ Level examination, will then have to compete for admission to either a Junior College, a Polythenic, or a Pre-University Centre (website SGBox.com).  These institutions are comparable to our 11^th and 12^th grades.  Finally, students who pass the GCE ‘A’ Level examination at the end of one of these institutions will then compete for admission to a local university (website SGBox.com).

  

http://www.sgbox.com/singaporeeducation.html

 

Singapore – Education System and School Accountability (September, 2006). Retrieved from:   http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/accountability/docs/singapore.pdf