A Comparative Evaluation of STEM Education Indicators in the Era of Accountability

As Common Core Standards gain momentum in the United States, it has been claimed to have curricular support from international studies. Accordingly, evidence of student learning is reviewed in this article to assess effectiveness of imported school curricula in the Washington DC area. The analysis is expanded to include confounding factors that impact school hours as a quantifiable variable. Meanwhile, additional indicators have been incorporated from higher education to facilitate the result triangulation across K-16 education. The research findings reveal importance of test fairness from comparative studies, i.e., when schools are under local control, no single international test can ensure a fair match to various curricula, nor does the result provide a valid measure of school accountability in STEM education. 

As Common Core Standards gain momentum in the United States, it has been claimed to have curricular support from international studies. Accordingly, evidence of student learning is reviewed in this article to assess effectiveness of imported school curricula in the Washington DC area. The analysis is expanded to include confounding factors that impact school hours as a quantifiable variable. Meanwhile, additional indicators have been incorporated from higher education to facilitate the result triangulation across K-16 education. The research findings reveal importance of test fairness from comparative studies, i.e., when schools are under local control, no single international test can ensure a fair match to various curricula, nor does the result provide a valid measure of school accountability in STEM education.