Using Standardized Test Results as an Instructional Guide

Abstract

raditionally, the purpose of standardized testing programs, when stated, has been too general and vague. Consequently, the link between test results and classroom instruction is weak. Tests are usually administered once a year, and results are recorded and filed until the next year, when the process is repeated. Results, when used for instructional purposes, are primarily used for making year-to-year comparisons of overall student performance or evaluation of specific programs (Linn 1983). Administrators must question the wisdom of this practice. Dreher and Singer (1984) indicate standardized tests are the most visible and widely used vehicle for assessing student achievement in the United States. The cost of administering these tests is estimated to be $40 million annually. Clearly, there is a significant investment of school resources (time and money) in standardized tests. Are schools receiving maximum return on this investment? This question, although crucial to efficient school management, pales when considering the implications of the current debate about school accountability. The total educational establishment is being critiqued by assessment of student performance as measured by these instruments. Teacher effectiveness, school effectiveness, allocation of funds, and student promotion are often judged or determined by student performance on achievement tests. As educators reexamine the role of standardized tests in schools, we cannot overlook the practical application of test data to improvement of instruction.