Just before her first parent-teacher conference, Mrs. Harris (a new 10th-grade science teacher) asks you, "Which should I emphasize, teacher or student-related factors that affect test scores when parents ask why their kids didn't do well?" You reply

a) "Neither, it's best to simply say that the test isn't important and won't be used for grade promotion purposes."
b) "The test has been used for years, so we know that any performance issues will be because of student factors rather than test factors."
c) "There is no simple answer to your question, Mrs. Harris, because the reasons for low performance will vary across students and likely be due to a combination of student and test-related factors."
d) "It depends, Mrs. Harris; those kinds of conversations never seem to go well, so It's best to either change the subject or suggest they make an appointment with the counselor."