High-Stakes Testing...What is your opinion?


Author- Amy Cannon 2011



What is your stand on high-stakes testing?
“Relying on test scores to make critical educational decisions about students or schools - is what is called high stakes testing. Common examples include retaining a child in grade or withholding a student’s high-school diploma solely on the basis their score on a test, or relying on test scores to determine whether a teacher or school should be sanctioned or rewarded” (FairTest, 2011).
As someone who got good grades in high school, college and am now getting my Master’s in education, but had to take the ACT a few times to pass, I personally do not believe that high-stakes testing should be the final deciding factor for students, teachers, or schools.  Although my high school grades were good, having to take the ACT a couple times prevented me from getting into certain colleges.  At the time, my friends and I would just reassure ourselves that some people were better in school than they were taking those big timed tests.  I know that the testing and decisions were different, when I was in high school, but it can translate into the current issues of standardized testing.  The following paragraphs cover research/opinion on the topic of high-stakes testing. 
The following is an expert quote.  ''One test does not improve learning any more than a thermometer cures a fever, said Heubert, a professor of education at Columbia University and author of the book High Stakes: Testing for Tracking, Promotion and Graduation.  We should be using these tests to get schools to teach more of what we want students to learn, not as a way to punish them-Boston Globe, December 7, 2001,Testing expert calls for more than MCAS results to assess students(FairTest, 2007). 
Our research also stated, “The use of high- stakes testing has raised concerns about the reliance on one exam as the measure of student learning.  Many students report that standardized testing puts an enormous amount of pressure on them, hinders their motivation and learning, and minimizes the effort that they have put in throughout the school year” (Salend, 2011). 
From this research, it seems that students are not putting much emphasis on what they are learning in class, because they know that it will not have an effect on the final decision.  I would assume that it would be difficult for students to relax, learn, and enjoy their educational environment.  It would also be difficult for the teachers to expand their lessons past anything but what would be on the standardized test.  This could stifle creativity and prevent students from getting a more diverse education. 
Our research stated, “The pressure to judge student learning and teacher effectiveness based on the results of standardized tests can result in educators teaching to the test at the expense of other important aspects of the curriculum. For example, concerns have been raised about school districts narrowing the curriculum by eliminating or significantly reducing the instructional time devoted to subjects that are not the focus of standardized testing. Family members report that they often do not understand what the tests measure, how to interpret the results, and why their child’s test scores differ from their report card grades” (Salend, 2011). 
Additionally I do not agree that teachers should be paid based on how their students perform.  It takes away from their creativity and ability to teach other important subjects.  Another resource stated, “Payment for "performance" will exacerbate damage to the curriculum caused by NCLB. Schools add time and effort to the tested subjects of math and reading, and then subtract it from other important areas including social studies, science, art, music, and gym. If all teachers are paid for the school's math and reading scores, this will further narrow the curriculum. In Texas, for example, science, and history teachers have been forced to teach math and reading” (FairTest, 2009). 

What kinds of accommodations do you think are appropriate?

I believe that there should be a completely different way to assess students and evaluate schools.  It should be a combination of classroom learning, fewer tests, and a review process to measure how the teachers and schools are doing.  I found an article in EducationWeek to be very interesting.  It said, “A healthy assessment and evaluation system would include three key components: limited large-scale standardized testing; extensive school-based evidence of learning; and a school quality-review process” (Neill, 2010).
In regards to limited testing, “many nations with better and more equitable educational outcomes test far less than we do. They typically test just one to three times before high school graduation, and use multiple-choice questions sparingly, if at all. Excessive testing wastes educational resources and fosters the use of cheap, low-level tests, while adding high stakes narrows and dumbs down the curriculum” (Neill, 2010). 
The second piece would be evaluating the students in their classrooms.  “The primary public source of data about student achievement should be the work students do in the classroom. That kind of evidence reveals the range, depth, and quality of student learning” (Neill, 2010). 
The final accommodation is very different but has been successful in many other countries.  School-quality reviews have been the main tool for school evaluation “in places such as England (which tests at a few grades), Wales (which tests only at grade 5, with no stakes), and New Zealand (which has only a NAEP-like national exam).  Instead of test results, the core of evaluation is a comprehensive review every four to five years covering the range of attributes parents and communities want for their schools” (Neill, 2010). 

What do you see as the purpose of standardized testing?

I believe that standardized testing should only be one piece of the complete assessment process.  As I mentioned above, I agree with limiting the amount of testing before high school.  In addition, we should “Consider a Range of Testing Accommodations. Because of the varied purposes of testing and the unique qualities of your students, it is important for you and your colleagues to consider a range of possible testing accommodations. Testing accommodations are usually categorized as relating to presentation and response mode formats, to timing, scheduling, and setting alternatives, and to linguistically based factors. It also is important to be aware that students also may benefit from more than one type of testing accommodation and may therefore need packages of different types of testing accommodations” (Salend, 2011). 

What is your stand on selected response tests vs. performance-based assessment?

“The term performance assessment (PA) is typically used to refer to a class of assessments that is based on observation and judgment.  Proponents of performance assessment have identified many possible benefits, such as allowing a broad range of learning outcomes to be assessed and preserving the complex nature of disciplinary knowledge and inquiry, including conceptual understanding, problem-solving skills, and the application of knowledge and understanding to unique situations. Of particular interest is the potential of PA to capture aspects of higher-order thinking and reasoning, which are difficult to test in other ways” (Ask.com, 2011).
A second assessment category is selected response.  “Selected response (objective) assessment items are very efficient – once the items are created, you can assess and score a great deal of content rather quickly. Note that the term objective refers to the fact that each question has a right and wrong answer and that they can be impartially scored” (USF, 2011).
I feel that students should be assessed mainly on the side of performance-based assessments.  Selected response assessments should be involved, but only as a reflection of what the student is learning in the classroom.  Selected response assessments could also fall under the category of the limited standardized testing mentioned earlier.  

How does a teacher decide when to use each one? What is the value of each?

How does a teacher decide when to use performance-based assessments or selected response assessments?  I am sure that it can be difficult determining which type of assessment to use.  It would depend on the learning styles of the students in the classroom, the lesson, and the level of measurability.  I believe you need to start with the design of the assessment and then move on from that point.  
“To design an assessment: Decide on format (selected response, constructed response, performance assessment); specify the purpose of the assessment and the standard(s) it will measure; specify performance expectations/descriptions and develop rubrics or other indicators for each level of performance; and clearly articulate the performance task and check that it is aligned with the lesson, measures what is important, is fair, doable within the timeframe” (RMC, 2005).
There are several values for using performance-based assessments and selected response assessments.  Performance-based assessments require students to demonstrate something that meets certain criteria. This could include, examples of how to conduct a search, posting specific projects on the web, producing a book, performances, scientific demonstrations, and research papers.  “Some of these are projects, some are performance tasks, and some are culminating activities. Typically, performance assessments illuminate students' skills, conceptual understandings, ability to apply knowledge and skills, performance execution abilities, and process abilities” (RMC, 2005).  
Selected response assessments include multiple choice, true/false, and matching tests. The value is, they are efficient ways of measuring knowledge acquisition and it is easy to set levels for performance (e.g., 18 correct out of 20 = B) (RMC, 2005).  

What is your stand on using differentiated grading systems? When would you choose the various types?  How would you defend the use of one of these alternative systems?

I really like the idea of using differentiated grading systems.  My two favorite types are multiple grading and criterion-referenced grading systems.  I believe the type of grading system you chose would depend on the grade level, specific lesson, and the variety of students you have in your classroom.  
Our research stated, “Criterion- referenced grading systems allow you to report on your students’ mastery within the curriculum. You can modify these grading systems to promote communication and differentiation in several ways. You can report on your students’ levels of curriculum mastery and the differentiation techniques used by completing a series of predetermined, open- ended statements addressing important aspects of your curriculum” (Salend, 2011).  
In addition, “you also can use multiple grading to adjust your numerical/ letter grades by grading students on multiple factors: achievement, effort, and level of curriculum difficulty. Grades for these factors can then be averaged or weighted to produce a composite final grade. For example, a student who was assigned an achievement grade of 95, an effort grade of 90, and a level- of- curriculum- difficulty grade of 85 could have these grades averaged into a final grade of 90” (Salend, 2011).  
It would not be difficult to defend the ability to use one of the alternative systems if you were able to show that it would meet all of the needs of each student, the classroom, the school, and the district.  You can defend a grading system by “considering and addressing legal issues; identifying the purpose of grades; agreeing on the nature and impact of differentiated instruction techniques; selecting grading systems that support differentiated instruction and communication; addressing the special challenges and situations of students and teachers; and using effective practices that support the teaching, learning, and grading processes” (Salend, 2011).  
In conclusion, I have discussed my stand on high-stakes testing including what accommodations I think are appropriate.  I also covered my view on the purpose of standardized testing and my stand on selected response testing verses performance-based assessments.  Finally, I discussed my opinion on using differentiated grading systems, when to choose specific types of grading systems, and how to defend your choices. 


References

Ask.com. (2011). Performance assessment. Ask.com. Retrieved from http://www.ask.com
FairTest. (2007). Organizations and experts opposed to high stakes testing. FairTest. Retrieved from http://www.fairtest.org
FairTest. (2009). Paying teachers for student test scores damages schools and undermines learning. FairTest. Retrieved from http://www.fairtest.org
FairTest. (2011). High stakes k-12. In The case against high stakes testing. FairTest. Retrieved from http://www.fairtest.org
Neill, M. (2010). A better way to assess students and evaluate schools. EducationWeek.
RMC. (2005). Adopt, adapt, or develop assessments that are aligned with and reflect the performance descriptions and expectations. RMC Research Company. Retrieved from http://www.rmcdenver.com
Salend, S. (2011). Understanding inclusion. In creating inclusive classrooms:
Effective and reflective practices, seventh edition. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc.
USF. (2011). Writing selected response assessment items. USF. Retrieved from http://www.fcit.usf.edu

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