The questions referenced some literary texts, specifically those by Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Emily Bronte, and Jack London. In addition, the questions regarding the Dickens, Austen, Bronte, and London texts also seemed remotely familiar to me. Frankly, I think I answered these same questions when I was in school in the 60s. So, I called DPI and asked about the narrow selection of authors, and the questions on their works. I was told and now it does make sense that in order to have the reliability that is needed on high-stakes tests, in order to stand up in possible litigation, test questions need to have stood the test of time.
New questions require years of data to build reliability.
We have to concentrate on the traditional authors because we know that's where the questions will be. And it is not just a secondary issue. In Wisconsin, the legislature also has adopted high-stakes testing for grades four and eight. While I am speaking, of course, of my own community, we aren't the only state in this predicament. I suspect many of you can speak to similar developments in your states.