In terms of the test, the score entered into the grade book is strictly based on each student's test score. Answers were marked on the scan trons. I took the test myself before I gave it to the students and didn't think it was more difficult than past tests. As I did so, on the 6th grade test, I found four questions which I considered misleading/ not directly answered inthe Holt workbook so I instructed the students to mark E on those questions, essentially turning those four questions into free points. I found two misleading questions on version B of the 7th grade test (students were verbally told to pay close attention to the choices, these instructions were written on the board for these two specific questions) I also checked the answer key make sure that I did not mis-mark any of the answers, and ran the tests through the scan tron reading machine twice to make sure that it did not mis-score any questions on the test (it rarely occurs, but I've seen it happen a few times). I did this for both version A andversion B of the tests at both grade levels.
In terms of results, you can divide these numbers by 50 to findthe equivalent percent.
| 6th grade | Overall | 1° | 2° | 3° |
| Mean Average | 36.52 | 36.63 | 36.42 | 36.52 |
| Median | 38 | 38 | 38 | 36.5 |
| Mode | 41 | 41 | 36 | 41 |
| Maximum Score | 49 | 46 | 47 | 49 |
| 7th grade | Overall | 5° | 6° |
| Mean Average | 37.40 | 37.29 | 37.52 |
| Median | 39.5 | 40 | 38 |
| Mode | 41 | 41 | 41 |
| Maximum Score | 49 | 49 | 49 |
The test value is just under 15% of the possible points, for 6th graders with all assignments turned in, it's 14.1%; 7th graders with all assignments turned in, it's 14.3%; I havebeen told in past year that the maximum value of the final exam in our districtis 20% of the grade; I realize that tests do not always accurately reflect the amount of effort & learning that has occurred, the other methods ofevaluation (projects, class and homework) are also used. Students will have anopportunity to look at their tests tomorrow in class and see which questions were incorrect.
Some of the questions and/or visuals had been were used in class/ were in our reading (some were new); some questions and/or visuals went back to the beginning of the semester, others were more recent topics, covered since the last test. Given that we were covering the entire semester, it is possible for a student to focus on the less tested topics. I tried to narrow it down using the standards that we covered this semester, but there was still a lot for the students to review. I'm sure I'll get more opinions tomorrow regarding the tests and difficulty level.