Quick Hits (12.21.12)

Placement tests still rule. The vast majority of colleges rely on placement tests, like ACCUPLACER, to determine whether students need to take remedial courses, despite their questionable accuracy. Education Sector’s Susan Headden wrote about the limitations of these “short, inexpensive, one-shot multiple-choice” tests in this piece. (h/t Inside Higher Ed) (National Assessment Governing Board)

Three cheers for data warehouses! Kentucky leaders have launched a statewide Center for Education and Workforce Statistics, which will collect education data across the state and education spectrum, linking K-12 with postsecondary outcomes. Let’s hope they don’t forget the four T’s of good data, defined by Education Sector analysts: Thorough, timely, transparent, and tailored. (WFPL News)

Topanga graduates college. Danielle Fishel, or Topanga of Boy Meets World, finishes her degree at age 31. “Yes, it will be difficult, very difficult. You will lose a lot of social time … and you will wonder why you decided to do this whole school thing again. But you will gain so much more in the long run. Stick it out.  Persevere. You’ll be so thankful you did,” she writes. (Tumblr)

Scared of Santa. A newspaper holds a contest for the best photos of children with Santa. Here are 36 photos of hilarity. (Indianapolis Star)

Quick Hits will take a break for the holiday and return Jan. 2. Happy holidays to you and yours.