What is the problem with grade equivalent scores?

The reliability of age- and grade-equivalent scores is limited by the relationship between the equivalents and the raw scores on which they are based. An age or grade equivalent is simply the median raw score for a particular age or grade level.

Why should you not use grade equivalent scores?

Woolfolk(1990) states, "Because grade-equivalent scores are misleading and so oftenmisinterpreted, especially by parents, most educators and psychologists believethey should not be used at all." Usually, each grade level has a uniquenorming group for which the mean score is calculated, and each grade takes adifferent ...

Why are age equivalent scores misleading?

AE scores compare children to the “average x-year-old.” However, the average x-year-old does not exist. Rather, the term average represents a range of performance for a particular age group. A third serious limitation of AE scores is the lack of information they provide about a test taker's performance on a given test.

How do you explain grade equivalent scores?

The Grade-Equivalent score compares your child's performance on grade-level material against the average performance of students at other grade levels on that same material and is reported in terms of grade level and months.

What is the difference between a grade equivalent score and the grade level of academic functioning?

A grade-equivalent score represents how a student scored in comparison to same-aged peers. Grade level of academic functioning is how a student is progressing (achieving, scoring) in the academic curriculum.

What is the Problem with Grade Equivalent Scores?

Is standard based grading harder?

So, standards-based grading is hurting not helping students overall. Because students have a much harder time getting a good grade in any of their classes to the point where it is affecting their mental health. Standards uses a grading scale from one to four and makes it a lot easier to get a bad grade.

Are grade equivalents accurate?

The reliability of age- and grade-equivalent scores is limited by the relationship between the equivalents and the raw scores on which they are based. An age or grade equivalent is simply the median raw score for a particular age or grade level.

How do you explain grade equivalent scores to parents?

A grade equivalent indicates the grade level, in years and months, for which a given score was the average or middle score in the standardization sample. For example, a score of 25 with the grade equivalent of 4.6 means that, in the norm group, 25 was the average score of pupils in the sixth month of the fourth grade.

What is a normal equivalent score?

Normal Curve Equivalent (NCE)

Although not included on the Individual Student Reports, the Normal Curve Equivalent, or NCE, is another way of measuring student performance relative to other students, in this case where a student falls along the normal curve. The numbers on the NCE line run from 0 to 100.

Should age and grade equivalents be reported as a reliable measure of performance?

Age-equivalent and grade-equivalent scores are not considered a reliable measure and should generally not be used.

What do age equivalent scores mean?

Age Equivalent is the individual's ability; skill, knowledge, or measurement expressed as the age at which most individuals reach the same level (age norm). The Age Norm is the average score of a particular test completed by children of a given chronological age.

Why are standardized test scores not accurate?

Standardized tests scores are not predictors of future success. Standardized tests can only, at best, evaluate rote knowledge of math, science, and English. The tests do not evaluate creativity, problem solving, critical thinking, artistic ability, or other knowledge areas that cannot be judged…

What is an example of an age equivalent score?

Simply put, an age equivalent is a comparison of your child's performance compared to age groups whose average scores are in the same range. For example, if your 9-year-old child scores a 42 raw score on a test, and that score is average for 8-year-olds, their age equivalent score would be 8.

What is the age equivalent score for speech therapy?

The therapist looks at how a child has scored and compares it to the other data. An age equivalent is then given based on which age range has the closest average to the child's actual score. For example, if a 10-year-old scores 42 on a test, and that score is average for an 8-year-old, their age equivalent would be 8.

What is an example of age equivalent?

For example, assume a student obtains a score of 95 on a particular test, a value typical of the average performance of students in the eighth grade. Thus, the age equivalent of 95 is 13, the age of most eighth graders. Also called age-equivalent score; test age.

Should I use age or grade based norms?

In general, for students who are in the appropriate grade for their age, grade-based norms yield scores that are not educationally significant, while grade-based standard scores for students who are young for their grade placement are lower than age-based standard scores and grade-based standard scores are higher than ...

Is a stanine of 9 good?

When using Stanine scores, scores between 1-3 are typically considered to be “low” scores, scores between 4-6 are often considered the “average” range, and scores 7-9 are considered “high” scores.

Why do parents care about grades more than their child?

Parents want the SAFEST way for you. The road that EVERYONE takes. It's also because School is such a norm, getting good grades shows you're a good student and person(which isn't true). Not being able to achieve those grades gets your parents stressed.

What is the highest grade equivalent?

Common examples of grade conversion are: A+ (97–100), A (93–96), A- (90–92), B+ (87–89), B (83–86), B- (80–82), C+ (77–79), C (73–76), C- (70–72), D+ (67–69), D (65–66), D- (below 65).

Which type of score interpretation is most often misunderstood and why?

Another common norm-referenced score used in educational testing is the grade-equivalent score— possibly the most misunderstood score used in educational testing. Grade-equivalent scores are presented as grade and month.

What is grade equivalent Woodcock Johnson?

GE = Grade Equivalent

The client's performance on a particular task is presented in terms of the grade level of an average performance on that task.

What is negative about standards-based grading?

Standards-based grading doesn't really allow for minuses or pluses, so the range for doing well is [narrower].” As a result, students are not really able to comprehend how a standards-based grade compares to a traditional grade.

What are the disadvantages of standard based grading?

While anyone can attempt to learn the “standards” of a test, a one-time test isn't a holistic indicator of a student's long-term success. Despite SBG having some benefits, our education system must still better assess what students do and do not know.

What is the argument for standards-based grading?

In a standards-based grading system, grades are feedback that show specifically what needs to be re-learned. Rather than having to retake the entire course or test, learners have the opportunity to focus on individual competencies or standards where they haven't yet demonstrated mastery.