What is the PARCC Test? Everything You Need to Know

Standardized testing has long been a hot-button topic, and with good reason. While proponents say these tests are crucial for measuring both student and teacher performance, critics argue that they take valuable time away from learning. In recent years, a great deal of the conversation has focused on the PARCC test, or Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers. Whether you’re a student taking the PARCC for the first time, a teacher administering the exam, or a parent with school-age children, it pays to know what this process entails. Read on for everything you need to know about PARCC. PARCC refers to a collection of exams administered to public school students on a yearly basis. Developed by experts from multiple states, PARCC exams are designed to measure student progress while establishing Common Core standards for grades 3-11. Not only do states examine student performance by school, identifying problem areas, but schools assess individual student performance to determine where extra help may be required. The tests serve as replacements for older forms of standardized testing. However, that doesn’t mean the majority of educators are on board. As of 2018, only New Mexico, New Jersey, and the District of Columbia were still administering the full exam , while states like Colorado and Louisiana were incorporating just some PARCC questions into their own assessments. Administered at the end of the school year, the tests are designed to assess both problem solving and critical thinking. Their goal is to ensure students are prepared for college and their professional lives. Additionally, the PARCC test ensures students are learning based on the Common Core standards . Because students take the PARCC test on a computer, numerous accommodations are available for those with learning challenges and disabilities. The PARCC exams consist of two components: English/language arts and math. For the English/language arts portion of the exam, students read fiction and nonfiction passages, watch videos, and listen to audio recordings. Then they answer multiple choice questions and write responses based on what they learned. For the math component, students solve problems requiring multi-step solutions. Because the math questions involve real-life situations, students must utilize reasoning and logic rather than rote memorization and procedure. Additionally, the revised PARCC exams require students to show their work. So, teachers have an enhanced ability to evaluate and identify gaps in understanding and tailor instruction accordingly. PARCC scores are assigned based on performance levels. Students receive marks between Level 1 and Level 5 , with Levels 4 and 5 indicating that students are performing well. Scoring Level 3 means students need a little more help to meet expectations. A score of Level 1 or Level 2 suggests that students require significant intervention. Our Early Advising Program helps students in 9th and 10th grade discover their passions and build strong academic and extracurricular profiles to succeed in high school. Proponents of the PARCC system say that it offers numerous benefits for both students and administrators. One advantage of PARCC over other standardized tests is that it doesn’t just use multiple-choice questions that assess what a student has memorized. Instead, the tests require students to employ logic and reasoning to answer questions and justify their responses. In this way, the test is evaluating a student’s ability to think critically. Because PARCC focuses on applying skills rather than regurgitating information, some advocates argue that schools don’t have to â€Å"teach to the test† the way they do with other exams. Instead, educators can simply encourage students to think critically about all lessons. Of course, not everyone is a proponent of PARCC tests. In fact, many administrators argue that teachers do spend a great deal of time preparing students for the test—time that could be better spent on classroom instruction. Because many students have not encountered a standardized test like PARCC before, educators need to prepare them to answer the certain type and style of questions. And younger students in particular may need help learning to manage their time on a test like PARCC. Additionally, critics say that PARCC results in a great deal of stress for test takers. It’s no secret that many students suffer anxiety during testing. Because scoring at the lower levels on PARCC can have serious consequences, including being held back, students may feel even more worried about taking the exam. The strict testing environment, which limits student movement and behavior, can also be stressful for students. Finally, some PARCC critics believe that the test has an unfair impact on diverse and underprivileged students and their teachers. Because test scores tend to be lower in impoverished regions, critics fear that these results will be used to justify holding students back, firing teachers, and even closing underperforming schools. Have questions about PARCC or another form of standardized testing? At , we’re passionate about helping prepare students to get into the schools of their dreams. For more information on our services, call today or contact us for a free consultation.

The Chocolate War Assignment #2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Chocolate War Assignment #2 - Essay Example Surprisingly, Jerry went against the norm of the school, by declining to accomplish the school assignment the way other students did. Those who refused to accomplish such assignments faced serious repercussions. Before Jerry joined the school, other students used to dance to the tunes of The Vigils, since they feared the violent consequences that would erupt. The students, as well as The Vigils and the administration are astonished the moment they realized that Jerry declined to accomplish the assignment. This triggered the long awaited dominant violent act to erupt. Jerry has undergone metamorphosis from being a hero to being an enemy. At first, his fellow students were amazed at his courage to go against The Vigils’ wishes. However, the moment the students realized that Jerry was going to face violent consequences; they abandoned him and went ahead and sold their chocolates. Furthermore, when Jerry was informed that he was to take part in the boxing face-off, his friend, Goober tried to stop him in vain â€Å"Sick. But I just heard about this and I had to come to stop you. For chrissake Jerry, don’t do it.† Jerry went ahead and answered â€Å"I think I can take him, Goob, I really do†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Robinette 95). The violence finally exploded at the tail end of the play and Jerry faces serious injury and is taken to

Communication Theory Applying Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Communication Theory Applying - Essay Example Many theories try to explain the enigma of relationships. The rules theory tries to understand the expectations that the two entities of a relationship have for their partner and how it affects relationships (Baxter, 289). The phenomenon of heterosexual relationships is uncovered through exploring the rules of interaction in relationships. Two research areas have been covered to try to decipher the rules of interaction and breakup. The two areas include the study of interaction rules, and the study of closed relationships. Here, the studies are carried out using information accounts of couples on why their relationships broke up. The study employed of the accounts given by the couples, the most prominent reason given was it was due to relationship rules when one party deviated from the norms of this set of rules since couples feel that the partner is obligate to fulfill these expectations (Miller, 171). In this study, we also realize that relationship differ with commitment. Expectat ions for couples in a marriage and a romantic relationship out of marriage are different. Complains of this two relationships are different since the roles of the parties are different in the two. Therefore, the reasons for their breakups are also significantly different. It is also revealed that women are more pragmatic on in relationship than males. Males are said to be entertain more the notion of true love and romance. They entertain fantasies on love and relationships than their female counterparts (Young, 4). The Structural Theory in Work Communication theories are also applicable in trying to understand the formation, and functions of structures in the society. The structural theory is a vital theory in trying to understand how societal hierarchies work and how they are formed. In theories of communication and sociology, structural theory is defined as the formation of social issues using the analysis of two factors that include structures and agents that lead to the formatio n of these structures. These two factors are indistinguishable in that they are a prerequisite of each other. Although the structure theory is considered complex, it gives valuable insight of work and life balance in an organization (Hoffman, Renee, 206). Communication is a key element, in the formation of societal structures and this is evident through the structural theory. In societies, structures are crucial since, without structures in place: there will be anarchy. It is in human nature to look for a leader, hence leading to the formation of a command chain. This translates to all areas of the human life, from the family to bigger social groupings like communities. These structures are also employed in the workplace where there is a structure of authority (Gilsdorf, 25). Structures come as result of the interaction between resources and rules. Rules are predetermined guidelines that may be learned through life’s experience or may be official (Giddens, 455).rules guide ou r actions in work, certain rules are expected to be followed, for example, an employee should never miss work without permission. This is an example of an official rule. In this theory, recourses are a prominent determinant of power. Another important factor to consider in the structure of life is the duality in life. Life always has two sides to it, in the workplace; we have the employer and employee. In the workplace, the employer is rarely willing to make exceptions for the employee. The

Foundations in the pre-modern world Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Foundations in the pre-modern world - Essay Example It is the hope of this author that such an explanation will engage the reader with a more appropriate understanding of this key issue and help to define the way in which civilization ultimately came to fruition as a result of the positive aspects of civilization outweighing the negative ones. Firstly, with regards to the positive aspects that civilization could potentially offer a hunter gatherer around the year 3000 BC, one must realize that civilization was able to offer a degree of synergy. Comparative to the hunter and gatherer groups and tribes of this era, civilization was able to draw upon enough human resources within a given region to seek to specialize individuals with regards to their specific strengths within the economy. In such a way, rather than merely having the entire society devoted towards subsistence, as was oftentimes exhibited within the hunter gatherer cultures, individuals within a civilized society were able to focus upon such diverse techniques and cons such as tanning, wheel making, dating of bread, and a litany of other specialized talents and work skills. An additional benefit that society could offer is with regards to the diversity of trade and goods that could be exhibited. Whereas a small group of hunter gatherers it have very little impact on regional and international trade, a civilized society integrate with its neighbors and leverage a degree of trade activities that the smaller entity would be completely incapable of. Lastly, it must be understood this synergy and diversification that have been discussed allows for growth and development of art, music and literature to a degree that would’ve been impossible within a hunter and gatherer culture. Whereas hunter gatherers were incessantly preoccupied with issues concerning sustainment and meeting daily caloric needs, the civilized society was able to devote unnecessary labor towards developing the arts. Similarly, it must be understood that the decision to integrate wit h civilization on the part of the hunter gatherer was also one that was mixed with many negative aspects. The first and perhaps most important of these is with regards to the loss of culture and/or identity that the hunter gatherer would necessarily feel once integrated into a larger collective that was hardly reflective of their past life and interpretations of religion, societal norms, and a host of other factors. This of course ties directly into the loss of religious interpretation that an individual from a hunter gatherer society would necessarily space when choosing to integrate with civilization. From a political standpoint, the individual hunter gatherer would also feel a great loss of freedom as their personal behavior became constricted and beholden not to a warrior, shaman, or chief, but to a complex network of bureaucratic entities. Similarly, also from the local perspective, it must be understood that civilization represented a decreased level to which the individual ca n impact upon the direction and decisions that the group will take. Whereas within the hunter gathering unit the individual hunter/warrior was able to have a voice and provide at least some level of direction to the group,

Ethics, Moral dilemmas, and the Law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ethics, Moral dilemmas, and the Law - Assignment Example dilemma of freedom versus control, telling the truth versus deception, the distribution of resources dilemma, plus the application of empirical knowledge versus personal beliefs (Guido, 2010). In applying any of these, nurses should do so to protect the lives of their patients and discharge their duties in an ethical manner. (Koutoukidis, et al., 2013)Â  states that understanding the law is a crucial integral of the nursing education. This is because there are legal issues that create a dilemma to the nursing fraternity. Nurses are faced with the problem of choosing to attend to their patients who could have been hurt in a crime and reporting them to the police. They also face the risk of the likelihood of breaking the law in the event of their working. They are required to honour their civil contract of service regardless of the situation. If they contravene any of these laws, a nurse risks being prosecuted. Moral dilemma in nursing arises when a number of morally conflicting issues arise. A nurse who has respect for life and values its sanctity will have difficulties in termination an unwanted pregnancy, whether it is likely going to save the mother’s life or not. The nurse understands of the psychological torment or pain that the mother is likely to be going through, yet she cannot do what she considers to be morally bad. Such a nurse knows what morally is right, but institutional constrains render it impossible for her to institute the right thing (Fitzpatrick & Kazer,

Risk vs Hagiography Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Risk vs Hagiography - Research Paper Example Plutarch’s account of the â€Å"War of Spartacus† as it was also called is contained within his Life of Crassus, a biography of the noted Roman general Marcus Licinius Crassus. Crassus was the one primarily responsible for the defeat of Spartacus’s uprising, and Plutarch’s account is primarily concerned with fitting the episode into the context of Crassus’s life and career. There are some minor differences on matters of fact between the two accounts, but on the whole they represent two very different readings of the same events.Appian’s account begins with an impartiality that might well be taken as sympathy for Spartacus and his cause. He speaks of the desire for freedom that initially motivated Spartacus and seventy fellow slaves to rebel against the gladiatorial school at which they were kept, and adds that Spartacus’s habit of dividing plunder equally among his followers led to him having a great many followers (Appian 217). Much o f the focus is on the official response, which Appian criticizes. He states that the government of Rome did not consider this a war in any real sense, but something more akin to robbery or public disruption (Appian 218). The implication seems to be that this was a short-sighted and ill-considered attitude.Plutarch also offers something resembling sympathy to Spartacus, placing the blame for the uprising on Lentulus Batiatus, the owner of the gladiatorial school, implying that his inhumane management of the school and poor treatment of the gladiators was responsible for the uprising.... Much of the focus is on the official response, which Appian criticizes. He states that the government of Rome did not consider this a war in any real sense, but something more akin to robbery or public disruption (Appian 218). The implication seems to be that this was a short-sighted and ill-considered attitude. Plutarch also offers something resembling sympathy to Spartacus, placing the blame for the uprising on Lentulus Batiatus, the owner of the gladiatorial school, implying that his inhumane management of the school and poor treatment of the gladiators was responsible for the uprising (Plutarch 337). Plutarch’s account, being specifically a military biography, concerns itself with the weapons and tactics employed by the slaves, and how the initial Roman forays against them, led by Clodius and Publius Varinus, were emphatically repulsed (Plutarch 340). Both accounts agree that Spartacus was attempting to reach and cross the Alps, so that he and the other foreign slaves coul d disperse to their countries of origin, escaping the Roman yoke. The fear, however, was that he might change his mind and march on Rome with an army that, at its peak, numbered 70,000. Plutarch’s account focuses much more on Crassus’s maneuvering and decisions regarding the war, including his decimation of a legion that had, in his estimation, shown cowardice (Plutarch 343). Appian deals in broader strokes during this middle portion of the war, and keeps more of the focus on Spartacus’s army and their defensive positioning. The two authors also differ in which parts of Spartacus’s campaign they emphasize. Appian mentions the town of Thurii, which Spartacus took and held (Appian 220), but Plutarch glosses over that part, focusing more on the

Fitness Proposal Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Fitness Proposal - Research Paper Example The concept of nutrition is not just limited to the products we intake, but the entire process involved which involves metabolism and catabolism at the same time. In a broader sense it involves the entire digestive system of human body. Nutrients come in a wide variety and the proteins, vitamins; minerals encompass the circle of nutrients. They are required in certain amount for ensuring the proper working of human body. While proteins and carbohydrates provide energy, vitamins are multi functional in nature and at times they are source of energy, at others they provide protection against diseases and help in healing processes in the body. Excessive fats are enemy to the human body and not only do they obstruct the mechanism of proper working of different components of the body ,they additionally pose threat in form of severe malfunctions which may result from deficiencies of several nutrients that are required by the body. The cholesterols result in an underlying surface of fats which hinder the proper working of the nutrients and other natural foods. Supplements are quite common in practice for purpose of maintaining fitness and health. They are more commonly in use in areas of athletics and other activities where physical labor is desired. For long their use, and subsequent reaction and impact on the body has been questioned. Many researchers have conducted intensive research in this area to determine the possible downsides of supplements. However from a rational study and analysis of the entire study, it can be deduced that supplements are not solely bad, the manner in which they are used, determines its use and abuse. Many a times, body suffers due to stress induced. It occurs because of the lack of knowledge on behalf of athletes. The human body consists of areas that are relatively stronger, and those that require specific consideration while exposing them to direct training