Wanted: Test Makers
With all the emphasis on test taking now, we have run out of test makers. Want to be a psychometrician when you grow up, Johnny?
Even before No Child Left Behind, test makers were not a large group in education. Well, they are "hot" now. Psychometricians are so rare that the U.S. is giving work visas to foreigners to fill positions.
Just what is it they do? They translate raw scores into scale scores. They also devise formulas to measure learning.
The College Board, SAT, has had 3 openings since 2005 and they are still sitting empty. Good candidates for this popular career are math and science teachers. They can triple their salaries by going into this field.
However, there are concerns. Will the emphasis on testing remain for a long length of time? I, for one, certainly hope not.
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