High Stakes Testing

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how high stakes testing has become one of the chief ways in which students and schools are evaluated in education, due to the No Child Left Behind Act. The paper discusses how this form of testing causes a number of problems for students, teachers and schools.

Outline:
Abstract
High Stakes Testing Fails to Improve Education

From the Paper:

"Furthermore, good teachers know that testing or assessment is used to improve student learning. Tests are designed to evaluate how well a student can think, solve problems, use resources, etc. An important aspect of classroom tests is letting students learn from their errors on the tests. Very little of this happens on standardized tests because of the way they are created to be simple to grade and the way that students and teachers receive the results. Frequently, the only thing received at the school is a list of who passed and who failed with perhaps a score or percentage of some kind. Only a few states are breaking down the information into more helpful units by indicating where a student struggled on the test and where he or she did well (Goldberg, 2005). If the purpose of these tests is to improve student achievement, it is vital to know where that improvement is needed. Unfortunately, the information is simply not being received."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Amrein, A. L. & Berliner, D. C. (2002, December). An Analysis of SomeUnintended and Negative Consequences of High-Stakes Testing. Great Lakes Center - Michigan Live. Retrieved July 13, 2006 from http://greatlakescenter.org/pdf/H-S%20Analysis%20final.pdf
• Battaglieri, T. (2006, April). MEAP's March Madness debunks value of highstakes testing. Great Lakes Center - Michigan Live. Retrieved July 13, 2006, from http://www.greatlakescenter.org/Center_Funded_Research_2005.php
• Goldberg, M. (2005, March). Losing Students to High-Stakes Testing. EducationDigest, 70 (7), 10-19. Retrieved July 13, 2006 from EBSCOhost on-line database.
• McMillan, J. H. (2005). The Impact of High-Stakes Test Results on Teachers'Instructional and Classroom Assessment Practices. On-Line Submission. Retrieved July 13, 2006 from http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&an=ED490648
• Neill, M. (2006, April). Preparing Teachers to Beat the Agonies of NCLB. Education Digest, 71 (8), 8-12. Retrieved July 13, 2006 from EBSCOhost on-line database.

More papers on High Stakes Testing:

• Persuasive Essay # 142565 : "High Stakes Testing"
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• Essay # 55834 : "High-Stakes Testing"

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