DMN analysis indicates cheating on TAKS to be widespread

by Alan Cohen

Much of the study is based on suspicious answer patterns. Currently, the position held by the Texas Education Association is that statistical analysis cannot prove cheating.

The Dallas Morning News has conducted a study of statewide TAKS test results from 2005 and 2006. The results of the analysis indicate that tens of thousands of students have been cheating on the TAKS exam. Much of the study is based on suspicious answer patterns. Currently, the position held by the Texas Education Association is that statistical analysis cannot prove cheating. I agree that it would be difficult to prove any isolated case of cheating exists based on statistical analysis. However, looking at broader samplings of test patterns can at the very least give strong indicators that cheating does indeed exist even if the individual perpetrators cannot absolutely be pinpointed.

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