Car driving test data by test centre theory based test scores by ethnicity for 2017-18
Dear Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency,
I read with interest you reports :
"Car driving test data by test centre Statistics about car driving tests, showing pass rates for each driving test centre by gender and ethnicity, and first-time passes."
To better understand the cause of the pass rate differences by ethnicity -- and, specifically, possible adverse impact owing to the multiple-choice tests, I would like to request the
theory-based multiple-choice test scores for the 2017-18 year. Specifically, if possible, I would like the sample sizes, average scores, and standard deviations by ethnic group (based on all data across test centres) for the year.
Yours faithfully,
John Fuerst
Thank you for your email.
If you are requesting information under:
The Freedom of Information Act – we will normally respond within 20
working days
Data Protection - we will normally respond within one month - this is
instead of 40 calendar days
Environmental Information Regulations - we will normally respond within 20
working days
Public Liaison Team Tel : 0115 9366029
The Axis Building
112 Upper Parliament Street www.gov.uk/dvsa
NOTTINGHAM
NG1 6LP
John Fuerst
by email: [FOI #633635 email]
our ref: IA/00046/20
28 January 2020
Dear Mr Fuerst
Information requested under the Freedom of Information Act (FoIA)
Further to your request of 13 January, I can confirm that we have handled
your request for information about Theory Test statistics, within the
terms of the FoIA.
Your request and our response are as follows:
Car driving test data by test centre Statistics about car driving tests,
showing pass rates for each driving test centre by gender and ethnicity,
and first-time passes." To better understand the cause of the pass rate
differences by ethnicity -- and, specifically, possible adverse impact
owing to the multiple-choice tests, I would like to request the
theory-based multiple-choice test scores for the 2017-18 year.
Specifically, if possible, I would like the sample sizes, average scores,
and standard deviations by ethnic group (based on all data across test
centres) for the year.
Our response: Please find attached Annex A
If you are unhappy with the way we have handled your request, you can ask
for an internal review by contacting Vasim Choudhary, Public Liaison
Manager, at [1][email address] or at the above address.
Yours sincerely
Anthony Short | Public Liaison Officer
Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
The Axis Building, 112 Upper Parliament Street, Nottingham, NG1 6LP
[2]cid:image001.png@01CEEB7E.EFD1E500
Incorporating the Driving Standards Agency and Vehicle and Operator
Services Agency.
References
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1. mailto:[email address]
Dear [email address],
Thank you for the information. What you provided is what I was looking for. However, could you provide the means and standard deviations with two significant figures; i.e., two numbers to the right of the decimal point, such as 4.12, instead of 4.
Yours sincerely,
John Fuerst
Thank you for your email.
If you are requesting information under:
The Freedom of Information Act – we will normally respond within 20
working days
Data Protection - we will normally respond within one month - this is
instead of 40 calendar days
Environmental Information Regulations - we will normally respond within 20
working days
Dear Mr Fuerst
Please find attached an updated Annex showing two decimal points, as requested.
Kind regards
Anthony Short | Public Liaison Officer
Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
The Axis Building, 112 Upper Parliament Street, Nottingham, NG1 6LP
Incorporating the Driving Standards Agency and Vehicle and Operator Services Agency.
Dear [email address],
Thank you so much for the updated Annex. However, could you show two decimal points for the ethnic group means and standard deviations, as requested? Instead, you have just added them for the percentages.
Yours sincerely,
John Fuerst
Dear [email address],
I am writing to prompt you to reply to my follow up request:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/c...
Earlier, I had requested you to show two decimal points for the ethnic group means and standard deviations. However, in reply, you added them for the percentages only.
Might you provide the means and standard deviations with two decimal points, also? Thank you for the help.
Yours sincerely,
John Fuerst
Dear Mr Fuerst
Thank you for your further emails. I apologise for the delay in responding.
Please find attached a further annex which provides the means and standard deviation, as requested.
Yours sincerely
Anthony Short | Public Liaison Officer
Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
The Axis Building, 112 Upper Parliament Street, Nottingham, NG1 6LP
Incorporating the Driving Standards Agency and Vehicle and Operator Services Agency.
Dear [email address],
I have asked repeatedly for the raw test score MEANS and STANDARD DEVIATIONS to the NEAREST HUNDREDTH PLACE (i.e., with TWO DECIMAL PLACES). That allows for more precise calculations of group differences.
Can you please let me know if you can do this?
I do appreciate the time and effort.
Yours sincerely,
John Fuerst
Dear Mr Fuerst
Thank you for your further email.
I have contact the subject matter experts who provided the original data
that you requested, and they have advised the following:
The sample size of the data has been provided in the column headed
Container Graded
The standard deviation has been provided in the column headed Container
Raw Score StDev
The average score has been provided in the column headed Container Raw
Score Mean
This information matches the request that you originally sent on 13
January.
I apologise for any confusion and I trust that this has helped to clarify
the issue.
Yours sincerely
Anthony Short | Public Liaison Officer
Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
The Axis Building, 112 Upper Parliament Street, Nottingham, NG1 6LP
Incorporating the Driving Standards Agency and Vehicle and Operator
Services Agency.
Dear [email address],
On January 31, I updated the request, writing:
"Thank you for the information. What you provided is what I was looking for. However, could you provide the means and standard deviations with two significant figures; i.e., two numbers to the right of the decimal point, such as 4.12, instead of 4."
Can you let me know if you can provide the mean scores and standard deviations with two significant digits? In the original response you provided them rounded to whole numbers.
I understand which numbers are means and which are standard deviations. That is not the problem. What I want to know is if I can get more precise information, specifically, the means and standard deviations to two decimal places. Please let me know if that is possible.
Yours sincerely,
John Fuerst
Dear Mr Fuerst,
Apologies, I had adjusted the annex that I sent to you but did not include
this in my last email.
However, this is now attached.
Yours sincerely
Anthony Short | Public Liaison Officer
Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
The Axis Building, 112 Upper Parliament Street, Nottingham, NG1 6LP
[1]cid:image001.png@01CEEB7E.EFD1E500
Incorporating the Driving Standards Agency and Vehicle and Operator
Services Agency.
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