By Aaron Pallas, Special to CNN Editor’s note: Aaron M. Pallas
is Professor of Sociology and Education at Teachers College,
Columbia University. He writes for the blog "A Sociological Eye
on Education" for The Hechinger Report. (CNN) – It's the dead of
summer, and many states are releasing the results of testing
done in the spring. A lot happens between the time that a
student fills in the last bubble and a score is produced. Some
things are just general logistics: collecting the exams, routing
them to the appropriate destination and processing students'
responses to multiple-choice questions using high-speed
scanners. Others require more judgment: Scorers must review and
rate students' responses to open-ended questions to which they
must construct an answer, using a grading rubric, or guide to
the elements of a good response. But even more judgment is
required after that, much of which takes place behind closed
doors. Testing firms such as CTB/McGraw-Hill or Pearson, which
contract with states to produce the