High Stakes Testing Cizek Analysis

High Stakes Testing Cizek Analysis
Cizek, Gregory J. "More Unintended Consequences of High–Stakes Testing." Educational Measurement: Issues and
Practice 20.4 (2005): 19–27. Google Scholar. Web. 8 Mar. 2017. This source explores the negative critiques of
standardized testing from within the education profession. The history of high stakes tests is described to provide
background information on how testing practices have evolved. Various consequences addressed include: reduction of
instruction time, neglect of teaching material not covered by the tests, instruction and assessment mirroring the tests, and
negative effects on teacher morale and creativity. Cizek also takes time to address the time commitment of test taking.
While multiple hours spent on one test is necessary in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
"Study says standardized testing is overwhelming nation's public schools." The Washington Post. WP Company, 24 Oct.
2015. Web. 09 Mar. 2017. This source provides statistics to demonstrate the dramatic increase of standardized testing and
specific examples to establish the effects these tests can have on a learning environment. It is stated that a typical student
takes an average of 112 mandated standardized tests between pre–kindergarten and 12th grade. While one of the reasons
behind the excessive amounts of testing is to improve America's academic competitiveness, most countries that rank
higher that the U.S. in academic's test students three times throughout their entire school career. This source suggests that
the problem comes from tests being mandated by multiple sources, Congress, the U.S. Department of Education, and
state and local governments. While every test is mandated for a different reason, the main priority is not the benefit of the
children. An example utilized to demonstrate the detrimental effects of excessive testing is a K–8 Pilot School in Boston.
Individual, 90 minute reading tests are required every year. This causes teachers to spend over 60 hours of class time not
teaching. Although many people support the use of standardized tests, excessive testing is still recognized as a problem
from multiple sides of the argument. The president of the Education Trust, an advocacy group focused on reducing the
achievement gap, believes there is
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High Stakes Testing Research Paper
Clack! Clack! Clack! Is the echo of two nerve–wracking phalanges popping as if these two divisions of the human body
were strangers within their own anatomy. This frantic emotion occurs frankly, when the top figures in education, such as
principals and teachers compared with students carry this heavy emotion on these standardized tests known as "high
stakes testing". However, this standardized test creates a standard to hold schools accountable for improving the student's
success, parity of curriculum, and prepares students to be prominent in their subsequent level of education. To conduct a
better understanding of high stakes testing, put aside the nerve wracking emotions and think about all the moving pieces
that create an achievable form ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The component that shines equality of the two is meeting the needs for all students. Despite arguments of organizations
such as American Evaluation Association, AEA, who's stipulation is, "assume that all children, including English
language learners and special education students, learn in the same ways at the same rate and that they can all
demonstrate their achievements on standardized test." The design for standardized testing is to demonstrate a student's
academic allotment of performance and skills. The Consortium for Research on Educational Accountability and Teacher
Evaluation, CREATE, supports the ethical uses principles to protect the fairness of high stakes testing by demonstrating
an assessment taking by a student who is an English language learner may be limited to their achievement, but reflect by
stating, "the test could become a measure of their ability to communicate in English rather than a measure of other skills."
Therefore, it is not the intentions of standardized tests is not to disintegrate the fairness of the assessment, but be parallel
with the

High Stakes Testing
Testing the Joy Out of Learning sheds light on the negative effects of excessive test preparations and test taking in the
wake of No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001. The Act is a U.S. federal program that seeks to improve student
performance at primary and secondary schools. However, under this program student face an unprecedented number of
tests in math and reading. According to this report, "Students also take regular benchmark tests – supposedly to predict
performance on the mandated tests – and district assessments throughout the school year. The time spent talking about,
preparing for, and taking tests has increased exponentially" (Nichols, & Berliner, 2008, p. 14). Although there has been
no notable improvement in student learning ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Instead, the authors merely offer suggestions on ways minimalize the harmful effects. However, the suggestions offered
were similar to the effect achieved when applying a Band–Aid to a deep wound. Although, it conceals the cut the wound
remains. One example, the authors suggest, "eliminate the word "test" from any banner, poster, or encouraging slogan"
(Nicholos & Berliner, 2007, p. 18). As an observer, I am hard–pressed to find a sustainable student benefit aside from the
removal of a negative stimulus. A true and effective conclusion is to fight back against the federal government and
demand an end to high–stake

High Stakes Testing And The Turn Is Not Well Received
The educational forum has had many trend changes over years. The current trend in education is mainly focused on
accountability through assessment, such as standardized tests.
There are many defining factors and elements that are articulated in the realm of standardized testing. Some of these
factors are academic shift from learning to accountability in learning, test data, the problems that plague education and
schools related to standardized tests, and the possible solutions for them. Education has gone from standardized testing to
high stakes testing and the turn is not well received. A standardized test is defined by, "The Glossary of Education
Reform", as any form of test that (1) requires all test takers to answer the same ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
This literature will focus on focusing on large scale, high stakes testing. They can include multiple–choice questions,
true–false questions, short–answer questions, essay questions, or a mix of question types. The article titled, Standardized
Tests states, "that the most common forms of standardized tests are: achievement tests, aptitude tests, college admission
tests, international comparison tests, and psychological tests." Standardized tests have been around for hundreds of years.
The test originated in the 1800's. The test was created by Horace Mann. The test was to decide how students were
mastering their current level of work and whether they should proceed to the next level. There were no negative
consequences associated with the tests or scores. After the publication of the Coleman Report (Coleman et al., 1966),
which took an in depth look into the education system and analyzed how the education system affected student
achievement, the use of standardized achievement tests for accountability became the trend. It was all about everyone
involved in the education of a body of students should be held accountable for the learning and teaching of those
students. The teachers and others involved had to answer to the political bodies that were providing funding for the
education system. In 2001 the No Child Left Behind Act was passed under the administration of President Bush. The act
is based on improving instructional outcomes for students with disabilities. The

High Stakes Testing Pressure Summary
Have you ever felt the pressure of high–stakes testing as a student, a teacher, an administrator or even as a parent? The
goals of federal and state governments of high stakes testing are to improve schools. The government believes if there are
negative consequences tied to standardized test performance then teachers and students will work harder which will
increase test scores. The use of standardized testing dates back several decades but with the passing of No Child Left
Behind (NCLB) in 2002, high stakes testing is mandated nationwide. The article, High Stakes Testing and Student
Achievement: Updated Analyses with NAEP Data, is a follow–up study about the relationship of high–stakes testing
accountability and student achievement. Nichols, Glass, and Berliner (2012) states that "high stakes testing is the process
of attaching significant consequences to standardized test performance with the goal of incentivizing ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
As we continue now well beyond the passing of NCLB and the increasing pressure of high–stakes testing, Nichols, Glass
& Berliner, (2012) feel that the relationship of high–stakes testing with student achievement needs to be reconsidered.
Using the authors APR measure, the study in this article has one goal and that is to re–examine the relationship between
high–stakes testing pressure and its relationship to NAEP data. Nichols, Glass, and Berliner state (2012):
The primary research question guiding this study is: What is the relationship between state– level high–stakes testing
pressure and student achievement? More specifically, we want to know: What is the pattern of correlations between APR
and fourth and eighth grade NAEP scores in reading and math over time, when disaggregated by student ethnicity, and
when disaggregated by student socioeconomic status. (p.

High Stakes Testing Essay
Preparing Young Students Without Relying on High–Stakes Testing The names are familiar to most parents: No Child
Left Behind, Common Core State Standards, Race to the Top. These initiatives and others signify the importance of
education in the United States and the many ways in which the standards have been set throughout the last couple of
decades. The early childhood education community has felt the pressure to meet benchmarks set forth by these initiatives
just as much as elementary, middle school, and high school teachers have, often times struggling to maintain a balance
between play based learning and the high–stakes assessments that are now required. So, how do the United States Early
Childhood Education programs begin preparing ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Teachers are under a great amount of pressure to meet mandated academic benchmarks and goals, starting at even the
earliest grade levels. They struggle to provide an environment for learning that is "evidenced based" and "adequately
prepares children to succeed" (Burnett 146). Despite this pressure put on early childhood education teachers and students
to keep up, research shows that children flourish in a play–based, discovery centered environment. In an article for The
International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, Sarah Burnett states that the constructivist theory, first
proposed by scientist Jean Piaget, is recognized by many early childhood education organizations as the "most
appropriate and effective avenue through which children learn" (147). The National Association for the Education of
Young Children (NAEYC) recognizes the importance of play–based, constructivist learning in the early childhood
education classroom. According to Burnett, the NAEYC believes that These characteristics include the need for active
engagement by the individual child, the importance of a stimulating physical and social environment, ample opportunities
to engage in spontaneous and child driven play, opportunities to practice and build upon newly required skills in a stress
free environment, and the possibility to engage in sensory based activities (147). Although this type of classroom is
encouraged by the NAEYC and

High stakes testing, also known as standardized testing, is designed to test students understanding of course content.
There is much discussion as to whether high stakes is effective or a waste of time and money. High stakes testing should
be eliminated because it isn't a valid measurement of student achievement and it hinders student's learning experiences
and negatively affects teachers. Standardized testing doesn't efficiently measure student's achievement or understanding
of the curriculum. Tests only measure students' knowledge of specific subjects and standards. "At best, any test can
measure students' knowledge of only a subset of the content in a particular subject area; it is also generally more difficult
to design test items at higher levels of cognitive complexity." (Do High–Stakes Tests Improve Learning?). This article
makes the valid point that high stakes testing only tests lower level thinking skills and ignores student's complex and
higher level thinking. "The current tests don't measure ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Public school curriculums have been morphed to teach what is on standardized tests specifically. "Research has shown
that incentives can encourage teachers to "teach to the test" by narrowing their focus to the material most likely to appear
on the test. As a result, their students' scores may be artificially inflated because the score reflects their knowledge of only
part of the material the students should know about the subject." (Do High–Stakes Tests Improve Learning?). The concept
of teaching to test is the problem in school systems. Students who only learn what will be on standardized tests miss out
on important skills and concepts. "Teaching to the test causes a narrowing of the curriculum that neglects other essential
subjects beyond those of reading and math that are the focus of testing." (Education: Test to the Teach). A narrow
curriculum makes students less prepared for the world outside of

High Stakes Testing Argument
Education keeps evolving through time. However, it has been stagnant lately. We are in the period where high–stakes
tests are one of the largest aspects in education. It has been like that for a few decades now. A large group of people seem
to think that this is the perfect time for change. There are a lot of arguments going around opposing the implementation of
high–stakes testing and vice versa. While doing the synthesis paper and proposal, I have noticed that most sources tend to
talk about the collateral damage of high–stakes testing instead of its perks. As a result, I decided to interview an
admissions officer, because I needed to hear from someone that should support the use of high–stakes testing. I needed to
be able to understand both ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
I was curious if she has heard about all the arguments opposing the implementation of high–stakes testing and what she
thinks about it. Hence, I told her about all the negative arguments surrounding high–stakes testing that I have read or
heard before. Mostly regarding its unfair nature to a particular group of people. Some of the arguments include how
standardized tests are unfair because some students may experience test anxiety and how students attending poorly
funded schools may not get the exact same materials for the standardized tests as the other students attending relatively
better funded schools. Then, I asked Barbara for her opinions on these arguments. In my opinion, her response was really
detailed and very convincing. She told me that this is the reason admissions offices apply an individual holistic review
process. Standardized tests are important, but they are not everything. Her advice for students that experience test anxiety
is, "don't stress over it too much, you should just try your best". Barbara also mentioned that college admissions offices
still require standardized test scores for their application, because they believe that these tests are a very good indicator of
if a student is academically prepared for a college's curriculum. She also pointed out that standardized tests, such as SATs
and ACTs, do a really good job of interweaving all the important

High Stakes Testing
"A student body must be composed of more than students who do well on a test. A standardized achievement test cannot
measure intangibles such as a candidate's drive and individual determination" (Spiegler, 2013). Since the mid–1800s,
high stakes testing has been an enormous part of American education. In the American education system, the lack of
success have been held accountable on the increasing levels in poverty, universal use of high stakes testing, and quality of
teachers. High stakes testing demonstrates bias against women and categories of socioeconomic variety. The SAT and
ACT are unfair because wealthier citizens can afford tutors to assist students with test tips and higher scores on the
exams. While in the process of applying for ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Numerous institutions across the United States put an abundance amount of stress on standardized test scores when
admitting undergraduates (Toppo, 2014). With all the statistics presenting that minorities and low income citizens are at
detriment in advance to them sending an application to a university admission board due to their SAT scores, would it not
be logical to simply look at what a student has accomplished in 12 years of grade school and not what score they acquire
on an assessment in 3 hours of their lives (Sternburg, 2012)? Unfortunately, students stress over what they achieve on a
three–hour assessment which causes extreme test anxiety. As a society we need extensive assessments because they will
help benefit us in achieving the type of civilization in which is vital and we all desire to

The Consequences Of High Stakes Testing : Student And...
High stakes testing has become the norm in assessing both student and teacher achievement, but should it be? As the
consequences of high stakes testing increase, teachers begin to only teach to the test, which can invalidate the test as an
accurate sampling of a student's achievement. Because the tests primarily focus on achievement in math and language
arts, instructional time is spent teaching primarily these essential subjects and subjects deemed non–essential are cast
aside. High stakes testing is also an inaccurate representation of some students work because some students simply do not
test well in those situations. Due to these among various additional problems the stakes of these standardized tests should
be drastically lowered. First, if a teacher feels that his or her career is dependent on students' scores on a set of
standardized tests, then the teacher will therefore change their educational practices to reflect material covered in the test.
The test is intended to sample a body of knowledge that has been taught to the students (Popham, 2001), but when a
teacher teaches materials that are reflective of specific items on the test only, then the test as a sample of student work is
invalid. Those who are in favor of such testing might say that teaching to the test is not necessarily a bad thing as students
are learning according to the standards. This practice of high stakes testing is not adequate for meeting student needs
because there is little emphasis on

High Stakes Testing Case Study
Despite of the policymakers' efforts to implement strategies in order to evaluate and enhance special education
effectiveness, the high stakes testing system has several negative consequences to students, as shown at Pazey et. al.
study "The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same: Comparing Special Education Students' Experiences of
Accountability Reform Across Two Decades". This qualitative case study interviewed 12 especial education students, half
in 1995 and the other half 2012, after the introduction of the testing system and, later on, following two decades of
implementation. According to this research, exceptional students felt marginalized when assigned to separated test
preparation classes, when they failed the exams. In addition,

High Stakes Testing Summary
The Washington Post published the story "2015 Superintendent of the Year: High–stakes testing is the 'fool's gold' of
accountability" by Valerie Strauss on August 27 about one superintendent's discontent with constant "high stakes testing".
Strauss was covering the story of man who was named the "2015 American Association of School Administrators
National Superintendent of the Year", Philip D. Lanoue who is the superintendent of the Clarke County School District in
Georgia, which is one of the most impecunious districts in the state. Lanoue believes that the constant pattern of
standardized testing in schools is completely different from what he refers to as actual "meaningful assessment" and
considers the tests to be unbeneficial for students. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
All in all, the testing seems like a punishment for both the educator and the pupil just for the sake of "assessing" the
progress of each school as well as creating unreliable statistics for the public. I believe Lanoue's plan of action could be
very beneficial to schools across the country if they were willing to implement his ideas, at least as an experiment to see
how well it progressed in other schools. After all, he was named superintendent of the year for a reason, and his ideas
deserve the right to be further evaluated in actual classrooms to measure the

High–Stakes Tests Detrimental to American Public Education
In its beginnings American public education was a rather revolutionary concept. This conception–which was cemented
upon the notion that education should be free and compulsory to the masses–was scoffed at by many in the elite class
however, this was the age of enlightenment thinkers and America's founding fathers came to a significant conclusion; If
America was to survive as a democratic nation its citizens would need to be more informed than ever before. Knowledge
is power and if America were to compete with the rest of the world each generation would require even more knowledge
than their predecessors. With this idea in mind many American public schools–in their beginnings–were exemplary ...
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The vast majority of high–stakes tests are still in the standard multiple choice format and although this format takes less
time to both create as well as grade, this format has notoriously neglected higher order thinking skills (Jehlem 2). This
format focuses on the recollection of facts and has as a result turned many schools into drill centers designed to improve
test scores rather than teach students meaningful material. In order to instill the importance of learning rather than
trivialize the process the federal government owes it to students to create various assessments that promote higher order
thinking skills instead of expecting all students to excel on a single version of a poorly created

Testing accommodations for high–stakes tests have recently become a topic of conversation among state and federal
legislators. In addition to those higher up, classroom teachers of exceptional students (special needs) have begun to
question the validity of tests for their students. Due to the rising number of high–stakes tests that are administered, there
have been a number of research studies completed in order to help prove whether or not accommodations are even worth
the time. Accommodations can include extended time, read–aloud sessions, test response style, etcetera. In the studies
that are mentioned, different types of accommodations were provided, different age groups in different areas of our
country. These studies, while having a wide range of age in their participants, all agree on the fact that accommodations
should be provided for tests. These studies provide important data ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
high–stakes assessments and higher test scores in elementary and middle school students?
5.Bolt, D., Elliot, S., Kratochwill, T., Lang, S. The effects of testing accommodations on students' performances and
reactions to testing. School Psychology Quarterly, 23 (1), 107–124.
Fletcher, Jack M.; Francis, David J.; Boudosquie, Amy; Copeland, Kim; Young, Victoria; Kalinowski, Sharon; Vaughn,
Sharon (2006). Effects of accommodations on high–stakes testing for students with reading disabilities. Exceptional
Children, 72 (2), 136–151.
Fletcher, J. M., Francis, D. J., O'Malley, K., Copeland, K., Mehta, P., Caldwell, C. J., . . . Vaughn, S. (2009). Effects of a
bundled accommodations package on high–stakes testing for middle school students with reading disabilities.
Exceptional Children,75(4), 447–463.
Meloy, L., Deville, C., & Frisbie, D. (2002). The effect of a read aloud accommodation on test scores of students with and
without a learning disability in reading. Remedial and Special Education, 23(4),

Pros And Cons Of High Stake Testing
High Stake Testing– According to our textbook, high stake testing involves all students including those with disabilities
participating in a standardized summative common assessment, which is mandated by the federal government. (Salend,
2016, pg 454) These assessments are used to measure mastery of benchmarks in the curriculum. (Salend, 2016, pg 454)
These assessments are used and analyzed in order to make important decisions. The results of high stake testing can be
used to make decisions about a student's education program and promotion. They often are used to measure teaching
effectiveness. The use of high stake testing is highly controversial. Many argue these tests are not an accurate depiction of
a student's abilities. Not every student is a good test taker, and other means of assessments could be used to measure
student's skills and abilities. It may also cause pressure on students as well as cause testing anxiety and lack of motivation
in some students. (Salend, 2016, pg 455) Other consequences of high stake testing is that is puts too much reliance on a
test to measure teacher effectiveness. It also puts a lot of pressure on teachers since they are often evaluated based on the
results of students performance on the test. This may lead to teacher's teaching to the test and may limit their creativity
and time spent on other content outside of the test. There are alternative testing assessments and testing accommodations
available for students with disabilities.

High Stakes Testing in the United States
Ghadeer Alsobahi
Indiana State University
High Stakes Testing in the United States
High stakes testing is a type of test that has significant consequences. For example, if a student passes this test, she/he
will be able to practice a certain profession, go to college, or be qualified for a higher degree. However, if the student fails
to pass this test, she/he will have to retake the course until they pass the test. Usually, it is used to take important
decisions in one's life. An example of a high stakes testing is the No Child Left Behind tests (Miller, Linn & Gronlund,
2013).
A high–stakes test is usually used to create important decisions about teachers, students, and schools mainly for the
purpose of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Test scores as administrative mechanisms in educational policy. Phi Delta Kappan, 66(9), 611–617.
www.Aera.net/AboutAERA/AERAulesPolicyStatements/PositionStatementonHighStakesTesting/tabid/11083/Default.aspx
Handbook of Test Development
Downing, S., & Haladyna, T. (2006). Handbook of test development. Lawrence Erlbaum: NJ.
Downing, S., & Haladyna, T. (1996). A model for evaluation of high–stakes testing programs: Why the fox should not
guard the chicken coop. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice, 5(1), 5–12.
www.education.com/magazine/article/high–stakes–testing–pros–cons/ Hammond, L., D., Ball, D., L. (1997). Teaching
for high standards: what policymakers need to know and be able to do. Prepared for the National Education Goals Panel.
Retrieved from: http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/negp/reports/highstds.htm/
Dr. Maria G. J. (2010) Broad–Trained Superintendent www.seattleducation2010.wordpress.com/2011/08/20/broad–
trained–superintendent–shows–up–again–in–broward–country–florida/
International Reading Association. (2008). Reading assessment in practice. Newark, DE: Author

Persuasive Essay On High Stakes Testing
High–stakes testing has been so controversial that students, parents, and even teachers have protested the tests. One such
student who boycotted his school's tests was Andrew King, a 15–year–old student from Cambridge, Massachusetts, who
says, "I don't think kids should have their whole future based on the results of one test." (Nagourney, 2) This request
seems reasonable, considering the consequences of scoring poorly in today's system. Although with exams now being a
graduation requirement, very few kids can afford to continue to boycott the tests. Jackie Dee King who works for the
Center for Fair and Open Testing, and Andrew's mother, agrees with her son's decision. "Of course, we want the
education system to have high standards and to have school systems be held accountable. We believe in that–but we don't
believe this is the way to do it." (Nagourney, 2) Many other parents have supported their children's choice to opt–out of
their school's tests. Some are so desperate, they are willing to go as far as citing religious freedom in the Constitution's
14th Amendment to avoid the tests. Specifically, "What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow man. This is the law."
Most teachers and parents have opted–out in the more traditional way, by holding rallies and boycotts. Scrap the MAP
was a boycott held by both teachers and parents in Seattle, and they were successful. And "Recent rallies at state capitol
and opting–out protests have taken place...Grassroots parent

Essay On High Stakes Testing
The Talk About The Bitter Test Standardized high–stakes testing is necessary in today's school systems and policies
within education. The fate of annual standardized testing is being considered as Congress debates the reauthorization of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), also known as the No Child Left Behind Act (Evans, 2015).
Testing in its current form may seem detrimental to student learning, but the only thing worse than standardized testing is
not having testing at all (Evans, 2015). Standardized High–stakes Testing is necessary because it serves as a platform for
guiding students and teachers, it's a great measurement tool on an individual's performance, it helps prepare
administration and it also provides a "level playing field."
First, standardized high–stakes testing serves as a platform for guiding students and teachers. Students and teachers needs
high–stakes testing because the test allows them to know what material is important to teach and learn. High–Stakes
testing helps inform decisions about the curriculum and instruction (Nichols and ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Standardized high stakes testing could be dangerous due to multiple corruptions within the education administrations in
the school systems (Nichols and Berliner, 2007, pg.6). First, standardized high–stakes testing shows a correlation
between increased drop–out rates (Amrein and Berliner, 2002, pg.2). Another warning about the dangerous side effects of
standardized high–stakes testing surfaced when a plan a pay teachers on the basis of their students' scores was offered,
making student test scores very high–stakes testing. (Roderick and Bryk, 2007, pg.11). Lastly, standardized high–stakes
testing encourages teachers to watch the examiners foibles and to note his idiosyncrasies to prepare for questions that
were more likely to appear on the testing which can lead to failure within the classroom (Wall, 2000,

Public education today is facing many issues. In my career as a teacher I have seen firsthand many of these issues. The
lack of technology and furthermore, teachers trained and comfortable in using the technology is one problem that is
facing public education. Besides technology, closing the achievement gap between socioeconomic status and race is an
extensive public education issue. Lastly, high stakes, standardized testing is an issue that many educators, students, and
parents face each year. I consider high stakes testing to be the biggest impact on my classroom each year and the issue
that causes the biggest impact on my third graders. Testing is important to measure what and how well students learn and
it also gives teachers and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
When high stakes tests are used as a large part of a teacher's performance evaluation it fails to show the bigger picture.
Students come from diverse learning backgrounds and testing does not show the growth that the teacher helped the
students to accomplish. High stakes testing forces teachers to focus only on subjects tested and spend many, many hours
on teaching test–taking strategies. By narrowing the curriculum, testing does not allow students to focus on a deep
understanding of material or develop critical thinking skills. There has also been a "trickle down" of curriculum into the
lower grade levels to help prepare them for standardized testing. Students in Kindergarten should be focusing on social
and emotional goals; however, the curriculum has shifted to include more academic skills. High stakes testing also has
impacted students. Students may suffer from testing anxiety or just not do well on tests. If the only data that is shown
about these students is based on this test it does not truly show the whole picture. Exceptional Education and English
Language Learners have been impacted the most due to standardized, high stakes testing. These tests do not take in to
account the level these students are working at and how much growth and progress they make during a school

High Stakes Testing Pros And Cons
The concept of high–stakes testing is that the outcomes of said testing is used to make important life decisions regarding
the knowledge of the educational curriculum for the year. These high–stakes test used to be only used for older students
going to college for example SAT and ACT, or for graduation. Now these tests are being used in most all grades. High–
stakes test really effect student's outcomes in school. For those students that have a below grade level test result can have
repercussions even if they had good grades during the school year. Those decisions can include summer school, repeating
the grade level, refusal of diploma, labeling the student, etc. For schools, below grade level testing reports can including
paying penalties, losing funding for their school and being labeled as a below average school in their district. With the
passage of the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001 these high–stakes test scores are used more to hold schools and ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Critic of high–stakes testing believe that these high stakes tests narrow the curriculum to included subjects and or topics
that only appear on these high–stakes test. They feel that what is being taught is memorization of facts of the testing
curriculum and test preparation instead of "real learning". (Yen, 2005) Higher test scores are due to the fact that the
curriculum is being lined with the state standards of what needs to be learned and these test are made with the state
approved curriculum, so the scores should be higher if they are learning the curriculum right. While some might feel that
one subject is important but it isn't included in the curriculum doesn't mean they are not learning. School curriculum
evolves over time and what one might have learned in the 1990's or early 2000's would be different than what is learned
in the year

High-Stakes Testing
High–Stakes Testing is used to determine whether the students are being taught well by the teacher. This test is important
because it will decide if the students has met all the demands required to graduate school. High–Stakes Testing will make
education better because this test will be a good way to view all the scores from the students and seeing which students
are in need to academically improve more and the students that does not need improvements at all. This test will give
them an idea of how many efforts they should put into to help the students obtain their education. According to Jay P.
Greene, Margaret Raymond and Eric Hanushek of Stanford University have demonstrated that states with high–stakes
tests made better test improvements.

Benefits And Backlashes Of High Stakes Testing
The Benefits and Backlashes of High–Stakes Testing
What if the determining factor of whether or not you would be successful or a failure in life was solely based on the
results of one test. Regardless of all the progress you have accomplished over your life, it all comes down to this big
moment, the big test! That is the reality many students face annually due to high–stakes testing. High–stakes testing is the
use of a summative test or an assessment to make decisions that are of prominent educational, financial, or social impact
(Kubiszyn & Borich, 2013). Decisions such as graduation/grade promotion, school/state funding, or even job placement
or termination.
Many critics of high–stakes testing believe that these test cause teachers to teach to the test. Pedulla, Abrams, Madaus,
Russell, Ramos, and Miao (as cited in Madaus & Russell, 2010) found in a national survey that 80 percent of teachers
admitted to increasing time spent on subjects that are tested on. These critics also believe that test scores increase as a
result of placing sole focus on the test and revolving curriculum and instruction around the specific high–stakes test of
that school. I do not agree completely agree with the statement that test scores increase as a result of teachers teaching to
the test. It is unfair to say that since the vast majority of teachers are teaching to the test, that all other teachers are also
doing the same. Sometimes increased test scores are a direct result of the hard work of

Essay about High Stakes Testing
High Stakes Testing
In 1997, President Bill Clinton stated that the United States needed, " a national crusade for education standards – not
federal government standards, but national standards, representing what all our students must know to succeed in the
knowledge economy of the twenty–first century"(http://books.nap.edu/books/0309062802/html/13.html). The way to
succeed in this journey is through standardized testing that results in consequences for teachers and students.
Throughout this paper, I will be discussing how important high stakes testing is to our country. First, I will show how
these tests prevent students from moving on to the next grade level or graduate without the skills necessary. Secondly, I
will discuss ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Out of 91,000 students tested overall, almost 26,000 failed. After summer school, 15 percent, 13 percent, and 8 percent of
students were retained at the three grade levels (Chicago Public Schools, 1998a)
(http://books.nap.edu/books/0309062802/html/116.html).
High stakes testing also improves students' achievement. Eugene Watts, Ohio's State Senator, discusses a new exam that
will be required for high school graduation starting in September of 2004. "It is a tribute to the process we have
established that Ohio was one of only three states to receive a grade of A by the Fordman Foundation in its appraisal of
math standards in 1998. Ohio's model math standards also have the highest rating by the American Federation of Teachers
and a grade of B+ for the level of rigor in a review of state standards in 1998 by the Council of Basic Education. Before
proficiency testing, Ohio schools were graduating students with second grade math skills and fourth grade reading levels"
(http://www.enc.org/topics/ assessment/testing/document.shtm?input=FOC–001574–index). The students of Ohio were
given a challenge, and they not only lived up to the standards, they surpassed them! This is the kind of attitude all
students need to have towards school, and high stakes testing is just the incentive they need. The AIMS test in Arizona
will be required to graduate in the year 2008, and the Arizona Department of Education feels that

High-Stakes Testing in American Schools Essay
The NCLB Act has obligated the government to find a way to keep track of progress, which, in their minds, is
administering high–stakes tests. High–stakes testing is scrutinized all the time, since some believe it is the only indicator
of tracking students and teachers. They seemed to have been ridiculed by many and favored by few; nonetheless there are
significant disparities in the public's and government's opinion. According to Dunne (2000), "Tests aren't just tests
anymore –– at least not high–stakes tests, which are being used in some states to determine which students stay back a
grade, which high school seniors receive diplomas, which teachers get bonuses, and more." The National Education
Association (NEA) does not believe one ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The inequitable consequences that teachers and administrators would have to bare are uncalled for. These exams generate
pessimistic attitudes that become contagious and infect the educational environment. Extensive research shows that
students who are held back do not progress academically, suffer a loss of self–esteem, and are more likely to drop out of
school, according to FairTest (2008).
Each year more and more states are requiring exit exams in order to receive a diploma. These forms of high–stakes tests
seem to be more idealistic for schools across the U.S. as they begin to adopt and modify them. Exit exams have brought
about many lawsuits throughout the country though, since they deny students who fail a high school diploma. Many say
that the exams are not impartial and that they discriminate against English language learners, minority students, special
education students, and economically disadvantaged students. All–in–all the exit exams do serve a more meaningful
purpose than other forms of high–stakes tests.
According to Urbina (2010), exit exams have facilitated for educators to locate deficiencies in their curricula and brought
about clearer guidelines. Also, they invigorate students to share the responsibility of their academic achievement, since
students become more serious about them. Politicians want to abolish the stigma a high school diploma currently carries
and win back

Article Analysis: The Four Effects of the High-STakes...
The article, Four Effects of the High–Stakes Testing Movement on African American K–12 Students discusses four ways
in which high–stakes testing has harmed African American students in particular and recommendations for improving
their school experiences. Standardized tests have become the main criteria to which student's knowledge, teacher efficacy,
and school quality are assessed due to No Child Left Behind.
The authors discuss that one way African Americans have been harmed through high–stakes testing and standardized
assessments is through limited improvement in test scores and dropout rates. Although some African American students
may be receiving a quality education because they are reading at or above grade level and have proficient math skills,
there still remains a countless number of African Americans who are at the same level and receiving a quality education
(Thompson & Allen, 2012). Dropout rates once proved that African American students were not receiving a fair quality
education; however, today, the dropout rate indicates that Black and White achievement gap has narrowed over time and
achievement scores have increased, too many African Americans are still receiving a substandard education (Thompson
& Allen, 2012).
The second way students are harmed is standardized testing promotes a lack of interest or enthusiasm in learning. The
two main causes of student apathy is what teachers teach and the way they teach. Nowadays, teachers no longer have the
choice to

High Stakes Testing
Albert Einstein once stated, "not everything that counts can be counted and not everything that can be counted counts."
High–stakes testing attempts to determine the knowledge a person has obtained throughout grades K–12. These
standardized tests are being used to judge a person's ability to graduate from high school and also judge if a child has
enough knowledge to proceed to the next grade level. Throughout this paper, I will be discussing how these tests do not
accurately portray one's intelligence, how they have increased drop out rates, and also show the damaging psychological
affects they have had.
High stakes testing does not accurately determine a student's intelligence. In 1999, the National ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
This study also stated that, "every standardized test has a certain "error of measurement" which means that a given score
could actually be off by several points in either direction. High stakes, however, have single scores as the cut–off point.
Those scores do not account for the inaccuracies that all test publishers acknowledge"(azstandards). There have been
many studies in which students take the same test on different days, and their score varies greatly. High stakes testing
does not give any consideration to these errors.
High stakes testing increases drop out rates. Texas adopted a test much like the AIMS in the 1990–91 school year. TAAS
(Texas Assessment of Academic Skills) testing has produced a very astounding number of minority dropouts. The
Arizona Standards study states that there has been a 30% increase in dropouts among Hispanic and African–American
students (azstandards). Walt Haney, who wrote an article on the effects of the TAAS test, claims that, "a convergence of
evidence indicates that during the 1990's, slightly less than 70% of students in Texas actually graduated from high
school"(http://www.epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v8n41). The Alliance for Childhood organization discussed how, "there is growing
evidence that the pressure and anxiety associated with high–stakes testing is unhealthy for children...and may undermine
the development of positive social relationships and attitudes towards school and

Disadvantages Of High-Stakes Testing
In spite of critics, educational reform in Texas continued to rely on testing in an effort to meet accountability required at
the state level. Calls for accountability seem to usually rise from the political community. When the political community
demands that tests serve high–stakes accountability functions, professional testing standards can be easily compromised.
"In accountability contexts, test results decide which students are retained in grade, held back from graduation, and
assigned to tracks or special classifications...high–stakes testing produces teaching and testing practices that lead to
inflated test scores and further disadvantage already disadvantaged students," (Smith and Fey, 2000, p. 334). To call for ...
Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Associations to which test specialists belong agree that the validity standard depends on the test's context and it's used. A
test may be validated for some uses and not others (Smith et al., 2000). McDonnell (1997) found that the political
community believed the benefits of the assessment policy would outweigh any harm that might be caused by less than
reliable or invalid tests. Some may wonder why teaching to the test is not a good practice and a healthy basic skills
emphasis. They may even suggest that teaching to the test results is basic instruction even in the least advantaged
educational situations. Research indicates that there is little evidence to indicate that high–stakes accountability testing
and reform have had much impact on overall school performance beyond increased scores on the individual test that was
the instrument of the state policy (Mehrens, 1998). Theory validity of TAAS fell short of professional standards in other
ways: While Texas scores on the math part of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) have risen
dramatically–the results, perhaps, of all that drill and test practice–Texas students made only small gains in the NAEP
reading test between 1992 and 1998, no gain what so ever between 1993 and 1996 on nationally normed achievement
tests in reading, and not much gain in other subjects...They have not made much gain on the SAT, either (Schrag,
2000).Since 1999, Texas has begun to administer the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills exam and has continued
to follow the high stakes consequences for failing the tests at the 3, 6 and 10th grades. This current test battery has been
said to be more difficult than the earlier basic skills exams. One result of the wide use of exams to measure student
achievement has been the growth of alternative education. The website for the Texas

High-Stakes Testing In Schools
In Chapter 4, Assessing Students and Texts, the topics associated with assessments were covered. The text discussed two
major assessment approaches: formal and informal. The chapter also focused on policy influence, implementation
strategies, and the history of assessment. Other areas in the reading mentioned the process of how to determine
readability of texts and how complexity is influenced.
Before even starting the chapter, the title lead me to recall assessments and how they have impacted my life. Tests have
been a part of my education since I can remember, but to be more specific on the assessment type, I know high–stakes
testing a little too well. When I started school, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 was new and at the center ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
I really had no prior experience for what to expect, but my sister would make sure to fill me in with all the details she
could about hers. Aside from what my sister told me and what my teacher would constantly strain of its importance, I
only knew that the one test I was taking held the key to determining if I would be able to call myself a fourth grader next
year. The pressure of having to pass the test took a toll on me every following school year. I ended up developing the
mentality that I was not able to enjoy school or derail off my education for a single moment, until the TAKS tests were
over with. Once testing season was done, the feeling of suffocation would dissipate from my system. The severity of the
matter was most evident when I entered my junior year of high school. Since sixth grade, I had been taking advance
courses and was doing exceptionally well. But for my junior year, when the TAKS test determined if I would graduate
from high school, I took a major step back and enrolled in courses below my level. I felt it was the adequate thing to do
since those classes would cover what was on the test. I believed I was not capable of succeeding without that rote
memorization practice every day. I cheated myself from enlightening my evolving knowledge. Honestly looking back, it
is calamitous that I doubted my abilities for so long due to a mandated test with no merit to my authentic academic

High-Stakes Testing, the Standardized Classroom, and the...
"The world's greatest problems do not result from people being unable to read and write. They result from people in the
world–from different cultures, races, religions, and nations–being unable to get along and to work together to solve the
world's problems." These statements by James A. Banks have made a profound impact on my view towards multicultural
education and the nation's current trend of standardization and high–stakes testing. Scholarly research shows that the
emphasis placed on testing and standards, mandated by the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, is causing teachers to
focus entirely on basic skills in reading, writing, and math (Banks & Banks, 2010). This focus on basic skills is taking
much needed time and attention away ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Thus, when AYP is based on academic achievement levels, the subgroup rules create negative unintended consequences
for the students they were designed to help, by disproportionately subjecting racially diverse schools to sanctions under
NCLB." This consequence also threatens to increase the growing dropout and push–out rates for students in these sub–
groups (Darling–Hammond, 2007).
This paradox is not just affecting low–income and minority students, but also students in non–minority groups as well.
When there is no time for focus on skills that students need to participate in social change, these students will not learn to
question practices within society or to work with other students from all different groups and backgrounds in order to
effect change. Classes in schools which may contribute to multicultural education, such as social studies and foreign
language, are being cut completely in order to spend more time on reading and math (Au, 2009). According to Au (2009),
since multi–cultural anti–racist perspectives and content are not deemed legitimate by the high–stakes tests and classroom
standards, the end result is that multicultural, anti–racist content and perspectives and not being included in the
instruction time or curriculum. This reinforces the notion for white students that they are the dominant group in society,
and works against the goals of multicultural education.
In his

High Stakes Testing And The Education System
High Stakes Testing has been overly integrated in the education systems. High–stakes testing are used to determine grade
retention, school curriculum, and whether or not students will receive a high school diploma (Myers, 2015). Since the No
Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001, high stakes testing has become the norm and mandating that students must pass a
standardized test before moving up in grade. As a special education director, the focus is to ensure the student's
accommodations are being followed. Accommodations help increase students' academic performance. "Both the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) of 2004 and No Child Left Behind (NCLB) call for
students with disabilities to participate in the general education curriculum and in testing programs to the maximum
extent possible for each student (Luke and Schwartz, 2010)." Throughout the years, high stakes testing is becoming more
common than ever before. The reality is high stakes testing is one indicator in evaluating children with specific needs.
This paper will discuss, the violation of the statutory language regarding assessment based on IDEA, the strategies and
goals of a remediation, staff training, common Core and PARCC assessment, and funding for the remediation plan under
IDEA. With high stakes testing, it requires, states to use accommodation and alternative testing in order to allow states
not to exclude students with special needs from taking any of the state's test. Before

High Stakes Testing Dilemmas
The goal of education is to impart knowledge, wisdom, life skills, morals and values into the multitude of students we
teach. This obligation is not only directed toward our work with students but is indicative of how we should strive to
function each and every day as educators serving with high ethical standards. There is a lot of pressure on teacher during
the high–stakes testing season but this should not influence educators to behave in any manner that would be unethical
for any reason. I am pleased and relieved to say that I have not witnessed blatant cheating as I have operated in the
capacity of a building test coordinator. The only issued I encountered was a colleague asked to view the test so she could
prepare her students. The

High stakes testing is basically one test that results have proven in the most recent years an enormous impact on
education today. The outcome of these tests can have a major effect on students, teachers and schools. High stakes testing
should not determine how smart a student is or how well a teacher can teach. These tests have been proven to have a
negative impact on a student's motivation to learn as well as a teacher's motivation to teach. Not all students learn the
same nor do they test the same. Therefore, a teacher's performance should not be based on the results of these tests alone.
High stakes testing put too much stress on students and teachers, have narrow curriculum and do not show diversity to
ELL students.
With high ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
For a student who's second language is English would have extreme difficulties taking any test that is written all in
English, much less a high stakes test that is going to decide if they are allowed to move forward in their education. ELL
students need special accommodations to meet their needs and designing a test that is in their first language should be an
option that is available to these students and all school should be required to have them on hand without question. ELL
students cannot be expected to score well or even remotely the same on this test as their peers might or a student whose
first language is English and can read the written text on the test. "If students with limited English skills are to be tested
in English their test scores should be interpreted in light of their limited English skills" (CREATE, pg. 1). If high stakes
testing is going to be a requirement for all students enrolled in school, then accommodations should be made for not only
students with disabilities but also for students who have English as their second language. This is not only necessary but
also the only fair way to achieve accurate test scores for all

High Stakes Testing And Statewide Standards
High–stakes testing and statewide standards The Department of Education concludes that high–stakes testing and
statewide standards puts too strain on both the teacher and student. Multiple studies show evidence of miscalculation of
scores, teachers being blamed for low test score, and too much time spent on preparation for the tests. The purpose of this
policy brief is to elaborate on the non–beneficial components of high–stakes testing and statewide standards. Thus, peer–
reviewed research articles and evidential articles are reviewed on high–stakes testing and statewide standards. In addition,
the state of Florida has shown the greatest amount of dissatisfied outcomes. The information provided in this policy brief
will precisely indicate why high–stakes testing and statewide standards should be abandoned from the school system. I
request the action of Congress to outlaw high–stakes testing and statewide standards for the betterment of all National
citizens by passing a new law to force states away from standardized testing.
For the past 15 years, the No Child Left Behind Law (NCLB), every state has been required to provide each child with a
test. This occurs every year; K–8th grade is tested on math and reading, and once in high school. Furthermore, districts
have added a variety of tests to follow state–mandated tests. The Counsel of the Great City schools concluded that
students take approximately 113 tests between grades K–12. Roberta Munoz (2006)

High Stakes Testing Is An Educational Strategy
High–stakes testing is an educational strategy that affects students, teachers, and society as a whole. The topic of high–
stakes testing has been supported and discredited by many educators, politicians, and citizens. Nationally, schools are
using high–stakes testing for a variety of reasons. The American Educational Research Association discussed high–stakes
testing and issued a statement that read:
Many states and school districts mandate testing programs to gather data about student achievement over time and to hold
schools and students accountable. Certain uses of achievement test results are termed "high–stakes" if they carry serious
consequences for students or educators. Schools may be judged according to the school–wide average scores for their
students. High school–wide scores may bring public praise or financial rewards; low scores may bring public
embarrassment or heavy sanctions. For individual students, high scores may bring a special diploma attesting to
exceptional academic accomplishment; low scores may result in students being held back in grade or denied a high
school diploma. (Marchant, 2004, p. 2)
The mere definition of high–stakes testing carries a combination of both negative and positive implications. The
intentions set out by policy makers can be seen as positive but the apparent negative effects are also visible. The concern
with high–stakes testing does not lie solely in the fact that there are negative implications but rather that the negatives

Leadership And High Stakes Testing
When considering leadership studies, the research is quite prolific. Leadership occurs in every facet of social dynamics to
varying degrees. In education, specifically elementary and secondary education, the hierarchical approach of a top down
leadership style has been the accepted norm with the principal as the figurehead of the school. In the past, the principal
served the role of a manager and not a leader. However, in today's changing educational climate of accountability and
high stakes testing, the principal's role continues to evolve into one of an instructional leader first who also has
managerial duties. Cheney and Davis (2011) acknowledge this changing role stating "The job has evolved into a highly
complex and demanding ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Background As previously stated, the principal's role continues to evolve into that of an instructional leader who also still
maintains the previous roles associated with the position such as maintaining a budget, dealing with personnel issues and
managing a building. When considering the principal's ever–changing role, the conceptualization of the principal in early
American education is noteworthy. American education began as early as the Colonial period and was haphazard at best.
There was no uniformity in schools from one community to another with each school being under the supervision of the
community, its leaders and parents. At this time, the teacher alone served at the pleasure of the community's constituents
in managing the schoolhouse, teaching with scant resources and maintaining order among the students (Rousmaniere,
2013). These teachers were not respected among many communities. Rousmaniere (2013) notes that "early Americans
described educators as misfits with no better opportunity in life, crippled by accident, work, or alcohol addiction and
whose disability traversed from physical to mental to moral" (p. 9). It is surprising that communities would entrust their
children with such perceived reprobates. During the nineteenth century educational reform was a continual process with
changes in organizational structure from within the school to the county and district level. In the mid–nineteenth century
with the

High–stake tests are something that every student at some point has to take and they can very difficult for many students.
The populations that this exam tends to effect are special education and English language learners. There is pressure on
the teachers to get the students ready for them and pressure on the students to do well on them. The article "High–Stakes
Testing and Students With Disabilities" discusses how the exams effect the special education population. Only students
with severe cognitive disabilities get the chance to take alternative assessments while the rest of the special education
population takes the same exam as the rest of the class. According to the article, there has been an increase in levels of
performance by special needs students in high–stakes testing. On the other hand, students with disabilities have a huge
challenge achieving proficient levels and their score effect how the school's overall scores look. All students tend to stress
about the exam but special needs students tend to stress more about their scores and also while they are taking the exam.
In the article "High–Stakes Assessments and English Language Learners" by Andrea Honigsfeld and Vicky Giouroukakis
discusses the effects of those exams on students with a different first language. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
The article examines studies about giving incentives to schools, teachers, and students when they perform well on high–
stakes or low–stakes assessments. The article stated that giving the student's incentives increased scores only by .08% and
incentives to teachers for the exams were only .04%. They found that incentives did not work for low–stake assessments
either. The only significance they found was with the math assessments increasing by 1 to 2 points with incentives. So
overall, the scores were not increasing when given

High Stakes Testing In Schools Essay
Should our public schools continue to allow high stakes assessments, for example the FCAT, to play a large factor in
determining if a student has met mastery of grade level standards? Numerous students do not test well due to nerves or
other disabilities; some students even become ill which equates to inaccurate test results. Additionally, testing is such an
enormous process that students are losing out on valuable classroom instruction. Finally, with students pending
graduation or promotion to the next grade these high stakes tests are forcing teachers to teach to the test to ensure greater
success.
High–stakes testing is a high–pressure situation for any student at all grade levels. There are many seniors ready to
graduate but have not passed their final state assessment to meet that requirement or a younger elementary student
pending promotion to the next grade based on the results of the state assessment. No wonder kids are literally a bundle of
nerves, making themselves sick over these tests. As stated by Melissa Nott, a seasoned public school teacher, "Children in
high–stakes testing situations are more likely to throw up, lose control of their bowels, and experience ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
Ben Johnson is an educator, author, and administrator and basically feels if a teacher does not teach to the test then the
student will not be prepared. Johnson compares it to preparing a kids sports team for a soccer game. If you just drill them
and they go to the game but have no idea which goal to shoot the ball or the importance to defend your goal it would be a
losing game. In order to be successful in the assessments the teachers and students must equally understand and know
what the expectations of the assessment are and how they can work together to meet these expectations (Johnson). When
it comes to high states testing failure is not an option for the student or

Reflection On High Stakes Testing
2 Reflection: High Stakes Testing
1) Share your experiences with the administration of high stakes testing of your students, students in a classroom you
observed, or your own children. What is the attitude of the students? Do you think this or other situational factors could
have influenced scores? What was the role of teachers or administrators in these factors?
Every fall and spring of the year, our school has all students participate in NWEA Maps testing. These tests are used to
create our school wide goal, and for many of us, or individual goals for the year. Math and English are the two areas of
focus, to see where we stand in regards to the grade level norms that each school is supposed to perform at. In the past,
our school as a whole has scored significantly below the norm. My second year, we had a 4+ point deficit, and expected
growth is limited to 1.3 a year on average. Thus, there is a huge emphasis on improving our scores each year.
We have about a week and a half that we spend on testing, and each subject goes on a different day. Throughout the
course of the week our students will go with each of their teachers and take test for a different subject each and every day.
Studetns who don't finish in the allotted time for class, either go back with the teacher, or are asked to finish their testing
during a study hall, or during another class period. When the testing begins, we all assume our students have taken it in
previous grades and there is not

High Stakes Testing In Schools Summary
Summary This article discusses the various effects that high–stakes testing has on different schools throughout the
country. This article focuses mainly on the negative aspects regarding high–stakes testing; however, the article also has a
few positive aspects regarding high–stakes testing as well. A few examples of effects that occurs with high–stakes testing
are things such as the following: cheating (in many different forms), misinterpretation and misrepresentation, pressure
amongst students and faculty, as well as many other examples. This article discusses how not only the students were
being caught cheating, but the teachers and even the administration in the school. Most of the staff would just turn their
head and overlook the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
There were some interesting points that were made throughout the article, some that I totally agree with and some that
were very surprising to me. One of the main points discussed is how the pressure is steadily rising among students to
have the best scores as they possibly can on the tests. With an incline in technological advances, students have more
accessibility to sources that can be very beneficial to them at the time. However, it can also lead to be very dangerous and
consequential to them. I am sort of indecisive about high–stakes testing. I agree with high–stakes testing in the sense that
it prepares students for college, enhances their test taking skills, and assesses their learning. On the other hand, is it really
worth stressing students and teachers out to the max when it is just a test? Is this perfection that students strive so hard for
leading to cheating so that they can have the better score than the others? I believe that schools in general should focus on
the achievement of students instead of the number that they scored on a test that they took. Some schools even go as far
as cutting subjects such as history, art, music, and geography out of the curriculum because they are not important.
Another main topic in this article was teaching to the test. We discussed in lecture, "Is it really teaching to the test if you
are teaching the material, and it just happens to be covered on the test?" The answer was no. I don't agree with teaching to
the test. I think students should know more information than what is just going to be on the test. There is a fine line
between teaching to the test and actually teaching the test itself. The most surprising information in this article to me was
that approximately forty percent of teachers either gave students hints, encouraged them to change their answers on the
test, allocated the students more time for the tests or simply taught

High Stakes Testing Cizek Analysis

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