These are not the tests we took as children. These are tests designed to produce massive failure rates and propel a harmful agenda. Take a look at the two 3rd grade samples currently posted on engageNY:
On the left (pre- Common Core 2005) is A Winter Surprise. The readability average through multiple measures is a very reasonable grade equivalent of 3.8.
| Readability Formula | Grade |
|---|---|
| Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level | 1.8 |
| Gunning-Fog Score | 4.4 |
| Coleman-Liau Index | 7.9 |
| SMOG Index | 4.4 |
| Automated Readability Index | 0.5 |
| Average Grade Level | 3.8 |
On the right (Common Core aligned) is The Grey Hare. The readability average through multiple measures is a very unreasonable grade equivalent of 7.3.
| Readability Formula | Grade |
|---|---|
| Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level | 6.2 |
| Gunning-Fog Score | 8.6 |
| Coleman-Liau Index | 9.1 |
| SMOG Index | 4.8 |
| Automated Readability Index | 7.6 |
| Average Grade Level | 7.3 |
The grade level equivalent of the test questions is another matter altogether. Most questions are 2-3 grade levels above the grade being tested as shown here. You would never assess a 3rd grade student or their teacher by using 7th and 8th grade ELA/math questions, but that is exactly what the Common Core tests do.
Every student loves a challenge, but unless they can read 300 words per minute, it is not a challenge students will ever meet. Read here for the breakdown.
And last but not least, look at the length of these exams. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but in this case it is almost worth 1,000 minutes:
Join Lace to the Top because we never took these tests- why should our children?
lacetothetop 
Reblogged this on stopcommoncorenys.