Assessing the Assessors: A Challenge to CETE

Recently
I received an email from a “passage writer” at the Center for Educational
Testing and Evaluation (CETE) in Lawrence KS offering me $500
to write passages for the assessment tests. Instead of excerpting my books,
which they’ve been doing for years, they are now asking me to create new
material. Maybe it’s because I’ve upped my price for the excerpts. Many years
ago, I didn’t charge very much.  After all, it was just two or three
paragraphs written in prior years  that would appear on an exam.  Back then, I
didn’t notice that the number of children who would be reading my work would be
in the tens of thousands.  In recent years, I’ve wised up and charged
considerably more for this limited use of a piece of my work, as have many other nonfiction authors. I guess the test creators felt reasonably confident that relatively few test
takers (children) have encountered our books in their classroom work, so the material would be new to them.  Schools
supply children with committee-generated reading material (i.e. textbooks),
complete with worksheets, teachers’ guides, study questions, controlled
vocabulary and reading levels.  The writing is pedestrian at best and
downright insulting to the reader at worst.  I’ll wager that not a single
kid picks up one of these books out of curiosity or to read for pleasure.  




Meanwhile,
our body of children’s nonfiction literature is waiting on library shelves on
the very same subjects that are in the curriculum.  Since these books do
not have a captive audience, the authors write to captivate.  The books
are designed to inspire and entertain as well as inform readers about the real
world.  One reason why these books are so good is that authors are writing
material that they each feel passionate about and they have the freedom to use
many of the same literary devices fiction writer use, humor, satire, poetry,
and personal idiosyncrasies that give the works “voice.” The books are
beautifully illustrated and designed, a treat for the eye as well as the mind.
The freedom for self-expression in nonfiction has been hard-won by many of
these authors over the years.  I, personally, have fought numerous battles
with editors for playful language, activities integrated into the text, art
that is woven into a description instead of using a disconnected caption,
 and insertion of humorous asides.   



Many years ago, I was asked to write a science text book.  I was given an
outline and writing guidelines that made me feel strangled.  Although I
needed the money, I turned it down.  “I don’t write like this,” I told
them.  “You could give an outline to Shakespeare and you might get
something you’d like to publish but you wouldn't get Shakespeare.” 
(Not that I’m Shakespeare, but I think you get my point.)  Another example
is fellow I.N.K. blogger, Steve Sheinkin,  who wrote history textbooks
for years until he couldn’t stand it any more.  His most recent book,  Bomb! The Race to Build-and Steal-the World’s Most Deadliest
Weapon , was a National Book Award Finalist, and won the Sibert,
Newbery, and YALSA awards.  So you can imagine how thrilled we authors are
that the CCSS require that our kinds of books are finally to be included in
literacy across the disciplines in elementary and high school classrooms. Our
step-child genre is emerging into the spotlight.




Not so
fast, say the test-makers.  Maybe the price for excerpts from
excellent books by established authors has become too high, hence the offer to
commission new passages.  But the kicker to the soliciting email was that
there were two attachments: “Tips for Writing Topics” and “Writing Guidelines.” 
Here’s  an excerpt:




“Topic
ideas should not be too broad. Proposed topic ideas should be given in detail,
in one to two full paragraphs. 




“When
coming up with topic ideas for reading passages, it's always best to go with
something familiar to you. Choose topics in which you have prior knowledge or
interest. This will make the passage easier to write, and will often reflect in
the writing. Because writers may use a maximum of 5 sources when writing a
passage, choosing passages in your realm of knowledge will also minimize the
number of sources you have to rely on.




“Keep in
mind that passages may not have references to drugs, sex, alcohol, gambling,
magic, holidays, religion, violence, or evolution, and that topic ideas should
not lend themselves to passages which would require such content.”




And




“Use
grade-appropriate vocabulary. To check your passage, use Microsoft
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level readability test (part of Microsoft Word programs).”




Clearly
the authors of these documents didn’t know who they were writing for.  Did
they think that after 90 books I need their tips?   Do they have
any idea how these “tips” flatten text and clip the wings of a talented writer?
Don’t they have any consideration for the reader when they write? 
Is it their intention that education is supposed to teach students how to read
bad writing?




The good
intentions of the Common Core Standards are being hijacked by the test
makers.  Suddenly CETE is setting itself up as an arbiter of the quality
of nonfiction children are supposed to comprehend and think about
critically.  So here’s my challenge to them:



Why don’t you let us authors take your standardized tests under the
same conditions that you give to children?  Give us the time limits and
the pacing proctors. We can even try and do them cold without test prep.  



If we flunk, what would that tell you?  If we aced them what would that
mean? I have no idea how we’d do.  I can provide at least two dozen top
nonfiction authors in all disciplines and more if you need a significant
sample.  I can promise we’ll do our best and that none of your proctors
would have to follow your instructions for putting test papers with
vomit on them into plastic bags.  Are you game? Whadya think?