Term Paper on "High Stakes Testing"

Term Paper 6 pages (1819 words) Sources: 1+

[EXCERPT] . . . .

High Stakes Testing

One of the most controversial issues in contemporary education is High Stakes Testing. The use of tests administered by individual states to determine the success or failure of students has been praised for improving education in America by raising the standard and increasing accountability. At the same time, this form of testing has been blamed for causing a multitude of problems for schools, teachers, students, and parents due to its narrow focus and inaccuracies. Where does the truth lie about High Stakes Tests?

High Stakes Testing is certainly not a new concept in education in the United States. However, due to the current federal act for the improvement of education for America's youth known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB) more emphasis has been placed on High Stakes Testing in recent years. An important component of NCLB requires that school districts show Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) on state mandated tests. Consequently, most states have added such testing at both the elementary and secondary levels. At the elementary level, failing students might be retained for a year. However, high school students may not receive a diploma if they do not pass the appropriate test or tests.

As NCLB reaches its fifth year in existence and more research has been done about the validity of High Stakes Testing on education in general, it has become obvious that this approach to improving education is seriously flawed for a variety of reasons. One of the most obvious flaws in the program is simply expense. Few would dispute that public education is poorly funded on both the state and local levels. However, the federal government through NCLB has pressured states to develop these tests. Current estimates are that the development and administration of these tests will cost $1.9 to $5.3 billion between 2002-2008. If student achievement is the ultimate goal of NCLB, this money would be more appropriately spent on more teachers, better resources, and improved facilities.

The creation of the tests themselves can cause a number of problems for the states. Each state must contract with a test making company to produce the tests. Interestingly, even these companies do not recommend that their tests be the sole indicator of a student's success. Furthermore, the companies admit to problems with the tests that can include misprints, re-using old test questions, and inaccurate scoring. The logistical problems of testing huge numbers of students could eventually be worked through with enough time and money. However, the results are really not worth the effort.

One of the greatest flaws with the tests is how students are actually evaluated and how that affects classroom teaching and learning. Because the tests are as much a measure of the teacher and school as they are of the student, teachers and administrators feel compelled to make adjustment to better prepare students to take the tests. In the process of doing that, teachers sacrifice many of the skills that are so important in a student's education. Generally, the tests are multiple choice on specific information or skills as established in the state's standards. However, since the tests are designed to take in a matter of a few hours and must be graded quickly, only a few questions on each topic will be asked and, certainly, not all of the standards will be assessed. Consequently, teachers try to cram in information in the hopes that it will appear on the test. In a recent study of teachers in Virginia, nearly 30% said that they have adjusted their classroom habits to use more rote memorization of information so that students will be able to answer test questions.

In order for teachers to have time to cram for the tests, they must eliminate other parts of their curriculum. Generally, what gets eliminated is material that is difficult to assess on a standardized tests such as higher order thinking skills. The very skills that help determine a student's success in college and beyond including analysis, synthesis, and creativity are pushed to the side to make room for memorization and test-taking skills.

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. 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.

One of the saddest by-products of standardized testing for teachers and schools is the temptation to manipulate the tests. This has been done at the state level in many places by re-adjusting what is passing, excusing certain students or groups from the tests, or attempting to opt out of NCLB because it is not completely federally funded. Individual districts, such as Houston, have been caught manipulating their dropout rates amongst other charges. Finally, teachers, in fear of losing their jobs, have helped students cheat on the test. This is a lose-lose situation for education.

However, the biggest losers in this mess are the students themselves. They will suffer the consequences more of a poor education than the schools, teachers, and politicians. The education of middle and upper class students will be compromised only slightly by these tests. In these communities and schools, "the teachers and the parents make sure that most students gain the skills and knowledge which they need in order to succeed in high school, in college, and in life."

It is amongst the nation's poorest and most disadvantaged students that the damage is being done.

Most of the problems with these disadvantaged students centers around the dropout rate. The potential for being a dropout starts early in a student's career. The tests in the lower grades are frequently designed to retain failing students. Retention is another controversial topic in education. Many argue that retention does not help a failing student, but actually hurts them in the areas of self-esteem, stagnant academic growth and increased risk of dropping out.

Students who have been retained in the lower grades can and frequently do dropout in the 9th or 10th grade without parent permission due to their advanced age.

In a study by Johns Hopkins University, it was reported that schools with the highest dropout rate were predominately African-American and Latino. These schools have a 40% or greater rate of dropout particularly in the 9th or 10th grade. Suggestions have been made that these students are being forced out because they will not be able to pass the high school exit exams. The schools would rather have them appear as a dropout statistic than a test failure stat.

Not only do these students suffer as a result of a high dropout rate, those who do pass the tests and graduate from high school are poorly prepared due to being shoved into programs that are designed to make them pass the tests but do not prepare them with the necessary education or skills for their future. Their teachers and districts have been overly concerned with the tests and forgotten to teach them the depth and variety of content that is necessary.

Other issues concerning students and high stakes testing include an increase in retention for students in the year before a high stakes test is administered. The theory is that holding back students will help them pass the test the next year. In reality, the idea probably benefits the district more than the student. It also causes a problem known as the bulge in which one grade, often 9th, is loaded with students. This puts extra stress on the students and teachers at that level due to increased class size.

Not only are students receiving poor instruction in their core courses due to extensive test preparation. Extras such as music, art, physical education, or anything that is not tested such as science in some states become less important in the school's curriculum. Students are discouraged from taking those courses at the secondary level. In the elementary classroom, time is simply not given to pursing the different subject matters as the teachers focus on math and reading that is more frequently tested.

All students should have variety in their instruction and may excel at one of these non-tested areas. They are being cheated out of an important opportunity.

The issue of under-education is further complicated by lack of quality instruction by good teachers so frequently… READ MORE

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