Because of this, students who had disabilities, low language proficiency, and who come from various ethnic backgrounds are viewed as such during the grading process. In addition, these kinds of assessments allow professors to not only assess whether the students have learned the subject matter, but also whether or not they have the skills to proceed in the academic realm. According to the Ohio Department of Education (n.d.), there are many types of assessment, including formal and informal that include everything from teacher observations to extended projects. By combining a variety of these formal and informal testing methods over an extended period of time using multiple assessors, students' predictions for success will be more accurate. This way, it is easier to determine whether or not students have learned the necessary skills and are ready to move on to the next level or obtain their degree. Although opponents of these ideas suggest that high stakes testing is the only way to be sure a "fair" assessment is given, evidence has already been presented suggesting that high-stakes testing is not fair for all groups. Thus, high-stakes testing is not the answer to the assessment quandary in the public and private educational system. High-stakes generally use standardized methods, which change the culture of the classroom environment to be more concerned about teaching the test than teaching the skills necessary for students to succeed -- critical thinking and connection-making. In addition, because high-stakes tests do not always promote those who are capable of performing at a higher level because they are from multi-cultural backgrounds or just happen to have a bad day. Finally, because high-stakes testing is not...
By refraining from relying on it, it will be possible to change the classroom environment and better prepare all students for their futures. Thus, high-stakes should be placed, not on arbitrary tests, but upon a body of the students' work and impressions of educators. Although there is a place for standardized tests in data collection, allowing educators to determine how students as a whole -- in a class, school, state, or country are performing -- they should not be used to promote or graduate students.
"Schools will not be able to attract high-quality teachers to a system that stifles richness and creativity and emphasizes a narrow band of knowledge and a very restricted set of tests to measure it." Consequently, struggling schools will get worse as teachers move to more affluent public or private schools to teach. The students will suffer the consequences of inadequate instruction the most. In the end, High Stakes Testing does
Thus, students faced with fear and stress, are overwhelmed, concentrating on the test rather than on the goals of learning. They cannot concentrate on school work, understanding the importance of learning and education, because of stress that forces some to focus only on the test and others to drop out. III. High stakes testing disadvantages those with learning disabilities. In addition to lowering the teaching capacity of some teachers and students'
7). Although "one would expect higher quality assessment instruments that produce better information to make education decisions given NCLB-imposed penalties for districts associated with poor performance on the test...many states struggle with budget deficits and funding restrictions. They cannot allocate the funds necessary to improve the testing programs. States are forced to rely on large-scale assessments with too few questions and a narrow focus on skills and knowledge that are
Recognition of quality and lack there of should be a basic goal of the education system, as it strives to direct resources and change situations that are not meeting the demands of accountability, yet it is clear that High Stakes testing does a poor job identifying good schools and good teachers as it ignored, by default important information that is not available on the test scores. It has been clear
articles on high-stakes testing. Specifically, it will review the three articles, and include how the articles changed my personal views on high-stakes testing. Clearly, testing is a necessity in the educational environment, and yet, many forms of testing seem to be more a form of control and labeling rather than a way to accurately measure the student's expected and actual learning outcomes. High-stakes testing may help reinforce the school
High stakes testing is a concept of using assessments to make major decisions about students and to hold schools accountable. In the U.S. high stakes testing is part of a standardization process that sees students being assessed to evaluate progress; the tests not only impact whether a student will advance but also whether the school will receive incentives from the government. Because incentives are tied to achievement and the high
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