Impact Of High-stakes Testing Research Articles

Disrupting majoritarian narratives in high stakes testing: A critical race theory analysis of assessment

This article looks at high stakes standardized tests through the lens of critical race theory (CRT) tenet three (Capper, 2019), counter-storytelling and majoritarian narratives, and explores approaches to assessment that are culturally relevant and affirming. We discuss existing literature and research focused on the impact of high stakes testing, especially on marginalized communities, while also highlighting practices that honor the lived experiences and stories of these communities. We utilize a phenomenological methodology as we interview educators in a variety of positions within the same public school district in Texas in order to identify themes and trends in their perceptions of, and relationships to, high stakes standardized testing. The following three themes were identified: (a)majoritarian narratives, (b) perception of the assessment, and (c) change over time. We also identified examples and recommendations for culturally responsive and culturally affirming assessment practices and include specific examples and future implications and recommendations.

Changes in Chinese students' academic emotions after examinations: Pride in success, shame in failure, and self-loathing in comparison.

Several attempts have been made to examine students' academic emotions (AEs) in Western contexts, but less is known about how students' self-reported emotions vary over time. The study aimed to understand Chinese students' emotional responses to academic events and the impact of high-stakes testing on their AEs in the first year with a repeated-measures survey after the Semester 1 and Semester 2 mid-term examinations. 351 first-year university students completed both surveys in an elite Chinese university, where the top 10% of first-year students were assigned to an honours programme. Self-reported AEs survey responses were evaluated with confirmatory factor analysis. Invariance testing between honours and ordinary students and between semesters was used to examine between-group differences across time. A three-factor model of AEs (i.e., admired, shame, and self-loathing) was found in both semesters, with strong invariance between semesters. Mean scores between groups were equivalent and semester. However, self-loathing had the lowest mean (mean=2.50; between mostly disagree and slightly agree), admired was at moderately agree (mean=4.00), and shame was strongest at just over moderately agree (mean=4.20). This study reveals a three-factor structure of AEs and the stability of these emotions among highly successful Chinese learners. Despite being elite students, this sample of Chinese learners felt shame and pride in response to mid-term examinations.

Multi Perspectives on Play Based Curriculum Quality Standards in the Center Learning Model

Multi Perspectives on Play Based Curriculum Quality Standards in the Center Learning Model

Education systems, examination and failure: a case study of Kenyan teenagers in four schools

ABSTRACT This article reports on a small case study of the impact of instructional materials on students, and the impact of high-stakes testing in Kenya on those who fail; who, because there is very limited employment, are potentially open to radicalisation. The setting is secondary schools in Kenya which, after the 1998 attacks by al-Quaeda and later inter- and intra-community conflicts during the 2008 election, has seen a resurgence in externally sponsored terrorism, this time from Al-Shabaab, with reports that Kenya youth were involved. The case study involved examinations of texts on government, history, politics and religion; interviews with directors, teachers and students at four secondary schools, based partly on scripts extracted from those texts. On the advice of the teachers, we included discussion of the literature the students were exposed to which addressed more directly issues of corruption, democracy, etc. We also had discussions with the Kenyan Institute for Curriculum Development. All groups of interviewees were concerned with growing radicalisation, and saw the examination system, which encouraged rote teaching and learning as against critical thinking and led to large numbers of failed students without any job skills in a precarious employment market, prone to inducements from Al-Shabaab.

High-stakes testing and Educational Governance – Insights and innovations in European school systems. Special Issue Editorial

International research with regard to the intended as well as to the unintended outcomes and effects of high-stakes testing shows that the impact of high-stakes tests has important consequences for the participants involved in the respective educational systems. The purpose of this special issue is to examine the implementation of high-stakes testing in different national school systems and to refer to the effects in view of the concept of Educational Governance. (DIPF/Orig.)

High stakes testing and teacher access to professional opportunities: lessons from Indonesia

High-stakes testing regimes, in which schools are judged on their capacity to attain high student results in national tests, are becoming common in both developed and developing nations, including the United States, Britain and Australia. However, while there has been substantial investigation around the impact of high-stakes testing on curriculum and pedagogy, there has been very little research looking at the impact on teachers’ professional opportunities. The current project used a case study approach to examine the impact a high-stakes national testing programme had on teachers’ access to professional learning and their teaching allocations in four Indonesian public schools. It found that better qualified teachers were allocated to classes that would be sitting for the national examinations, and that these teachers were given much more access to professional learning opportunities than those teaching non-examined year levels. This in turn impacted negatively on the staff morale of less qualified teaching staff and potentially on their career trajectories. Findings suggest that school leaders should be wary of targeting better qualified and/or more experienced staff to year levels sitting for high-stakes tests, as this may lead to staff stratification within schools, limiting opportunities for staff to learn from one another and reducing the morale of less qualified and less experienced staff. They also add support to a substantial body of research that suggests policy-makers should be wary of the flow-on effects of using performance in high-stakes tests as the key means of judging school effectiveness.

The impact of high-stakes testing on curriculum and pedagogy: a teacher perspective from Australia

Debates continue about how high-stakes testing regimes influence schools at all levels: their impact on teaching practices, distribution of resources and curriculum provision, and whether they achieve the intended increases in student achievement in targeted areas. In 2008, the Australian government introduced a national testing scheme, the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN), in which all Australian students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 are required to participate, and a national website, MySchool, was established in 2010 to publish the results of all schools. This paper reports on the first national study of educators’ views on the impact of NAPLAN on Australian schools and students. Over 8000 educators from all states and territories participated in the study, and the findings indicate that the testing regime is leading to a reduction in time spent on other curriculum areas and adjustment of pedagogical practice and curriculum content to mirror the tests. The findings suggest that the modification of teaching and curricular practices is in response to concerns regarding the use and reporting of NAPLAN data and the potential impact on schools. This confirms findings of researchers in other countries on the capacity of high-stakes regimes to distort teaching practices, constrain the curriculum and narrow students’ educational experiences.

The impact of high stakes testing: the Australian story

High stakes testing in Australia was introduced in 2008 by way of the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN). Currently, every year all students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 are assessed on the same days using national tests in Reading, Writing, Language Conventions (Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation) and Numeracy. In 2010 the NAPLAN results were published on the Federal Government MySchool website. The impact of these high stakes tests on jurisdictions, school principals, parents and students is considered in this article. We draw on reported observations from the Australian Primary Principals Association during 2009–10 testing periods across the country and published Australian research on the impact of high stakes literacy and numeracy testing. We also examine alternative approaches that include the use of assessment evidence for learning improvement purposes and for accountability purposes. In considering alternatives to the current large-scale testing approach we draw on key insights from research on teacher judgement, achievement standards and social moderation in the context of national curriculum and assessment reform in support of the suggested directions forward.

The impact of high-stakes testing on student proficiency in low-stakes subjects: Evidence from Florida's elementary science exam

An important criticism of high-stakes testing policies – policies that reward or sanction schools based on their students’ performance on standardized tests – is that they provide schools with an incentive to focus on those subjects that play a role in the accountability system while decreasing attention to those subjects that are not part of the program. This paper utilizes a regression discontinuity design to evaluate the impact of Florida's high-stakes testing policy on student proficiency in the low-stakes subject of science. We confirm prior results that students in schools facing more immediate sanctions under the policy made substantial gains in the high-stakes subjects of math and reading. Contrary to the crowding-out hypothesis, we find that students in these schools made substantial achievement gains in the low-stakes subject of science as well.

Assessing Language, Literacy, and Mathematics Skills With Work Sampling for Head Start

Research Findings: We examined the reliability and validity of the language, literacy, and mathematics domains of Work Sampling for Head Start (WSHS), an observational assessment designed for 3- and 4-year-olds. Participants included 112 children who were enrolled over a two-year period in Head Start and a number of other programs sponsored by community-based organizations affiliated with a local school district. Teachers were trained to administer the WSHS checklist and to collect observational data about their children over the course of the children's year of enrollment. Outcome data were individually administered tests of early reading and early mathematics. Cronbach's alphas, correlations, regressions, and receiver operating characteristic curves were computed. Results indicated very high reliability of WSHS subscales. Findings also demonstrated moderate correlations between WSHS and the outcomes and unique contributions to the assessments of reading and mathematics by WSHS over and above demographic variables. The receiver operating characteristic curves showed that WSHS can be used accurately by teachers to predict children's early mathematics and reading performance. Practice and Policy: Discussion includes the role of observational versus norm-referenced tests in early childhood classrooms. Also discussed are such issues as variance in methods of assessment and the impact of high-stakes tests on young children.

Is Test-Driven External Accountability Effective? Synthesizing the Evidence From Cross-State Causal-Comparative and Correlational Studies

In the midst of keen controversies on the impact of high-stakes testing and test-driven external accountability policy, the more balanced and careful selection, interpretation, and use of scientific research evidence are crucial. This article offers a critical synthesis of cross-state causal-comparative and correlational studies that explored the effects of test-driven external accountability policies on reading and math achievement. A meta-analysis of 76 effect-size estimates from 14 selected studies showed a modestly positive effect on average but no significant effect on the racial achievement gap. Nevertheless, this review calls for further evidence on the policy-outcome linkage, revealing limitations, uncertainties, and inconsistencies in many findings. The author explores variations among the studies in terms of independent and dependent variables, analytical samples and methods, and the reporting of statistical and practical significance. Implications for accountability policy and research under the No Child Left Behind Act are discussed.

The Impact of High-Stakes Testing: Recommendations for Professional School Counselors and Other Support Personnel

The positive and negative effects of high-stakes testing are well-documented (Gratz, 2000; Heubertand Hauser, 1999). The development of an accountability system that is based on the results ofstudents’ tests has intensified the pressure to perform for students and schools (Gratz). Many policydecisions and often the promotion of students are determined by these test results – hence the term"high-stakes testing" (Heubert and Hauser). Because of the high stakes involved, pressure forimproving scores has an impact on teachers and their practices (Heubert and Hauser; Merrow, 2002).

How Listening to Students Can Help Schools to Improve

In this article, findings from a study of 150 10th-grade students attending 10 Boston public high schools are presented. Data obtained from surveys and interviews with the students in the study are used to illuminate how student perspectives on their school experiences can be used to strengthen reform efforts. Themes such as teacher-student relationships, the impact of high stakes testing, concerns about discipline and safety, and student goals and motivation are explored. Implications for how such a research strategy can be used to assist efforts to improve urban high school are proffered to policy makers and school district leaders.

Input-Guarantee Versus Performance- Guarantee Approaches to School Accountability: Cross-State Comparisons of Policies, Resources, and Outcomes

States' policy approaches to accountability tend to divide between a primary emphasis on input guarantees and a primary emphasis on performance guarantees. In the midst of keen controversies about the impact of high-stakes testing under the No Child Left Behind Act, this article examines separate and joint effects of input-guarantee versus performance-guarantee policies on reading and math achievement. Combining data from state policy surveys, the School District Finance Survey (F-33), and the Schools and Staffing Survey, the study examines 50 states' activism in test-driven external accountability policies and their support for key school resources (per-pupil spending, class size, in-field teaching). The school resources factor is not correlated with the accountability policy factor at the state level, implying that high-stakes testing pressure was not balanced with school support. Further, hierarchical linear growth models were used to examine interstate variationsin the trends of National Assessment of Educational Progress 4th- and 8th grade reading and math scores. The effects of accountability policy alone were not significant in reading and math, whereas the joint effects of accountability and resources were significant in math. The findings suggest that the effects of accountability on academic achievement are moderated by the availability of school resources and that the states can help schools make greater academic progress by combining a performance guarantee approach with an input-guarantee approach.

“You Teach for Me; I've Had It!” A First-Year Teacher's Cry for Help

This case study describes the impact of high-stakes testing on a first-year teacher's literacy instruction. Results indicated that content from literacy methods courses was often abandoned in favor of compliance to a test preparatory program. As an intervention, I began teaching in the third-grade classroom while the beginning teacher observed. This model highlights the need for further consideration regarding the role of teacher educators in preparing and mentoring beginning teachers.

The relationship of high school graduation exams to graduation rates and SAT scores.

The current study examined the effect of high school graduation exams on states' graduation rates, states' aggregated SAT scores, and individual students' SAT scores. Three data sources were used: One source identified states requiring a standardized test for graduation; the NCES provided state aggregated data on graduation rates for the class of 2002; and the College Board provided its 2001 SAT database for all test-takers. After controlling for students' demographic characteristics (e.g., race, family education and income, GPA and class rank), regression analyses revealed that states requiring graduation exams had lower graduation rates and lower SAT scores. Individually, students from states requiring a graduation exam performed more poorly on the SAT than did students from states not requiring an exam. The impact of high stakes tests' on students' motivation to stay in school and on the teaching of critical thinking skills (tested by the SAT) are discussed.

Accountability, incentives and behavior: the impact of high-stakes testing in the Chicago Public Schools

The recent federal education bill, No Child Left Behind, requires states to test students in grades 3 to 8 each year and to judge school performance on the basis of these test scores. While intended to maximize student learning, there is little empirical evidence about the effectiveness of such policies. This study examines the impact of an accountability policy implemented in the Chicago Public Schools in 1996–1997. Using a panel of student-level, administrative data, I find that math and reading achievement increased sharply following the introduction of the accountability policy, in comparison to both prior achievement trends in the district and to changes experienced by other large, urban districts in the mid-west. However, for younger students, the policy did not increase performance on a state-administered, low-stakes exam. An item-level analysis suggests that the observed achievement gains were driven by increases in test-specific skills and student effort. I also find that teachers responded strategically to the incentives along a variety of dimensions—by increasing special education placements, preemptively retaining students and substituting away from low-stakes subjects like science and social studies.

The Flunk Heard Round the World

In April 1998, the state of Massachusetts implemented its first-ever high-stakes teacher test, requiring a pass of all those who sought a teaching license. Fifty-nine percent of teacher candidates failed, and their flunk was heard in newspaper and television stories around the world. This article presents brief highlights from a study of the impact of the Massachusetts test on teacher education at five higher education sites in the state. Contrary to expectations based on research about the impact of high stakes tests in K-12 schools, the study indicated that the teacher test had little impact on teacher education curriculum or program structures. Drawing on a market-policy lens, the article suggests that, instead, one of the major impacts of the test was its contribution to the grand narrative about teaching and teacher education as culprits in what is wrong with public schools and public education, which in turn supports a larger political agenda for privatization and a market approach to educational reform.

The impact of high-stakes testing on teaching and learning: can this be predicted or controlled?

One of the issues which attracted the attention of language testers in the 1990s was the impact of high-stakes tests on the classroom: what kind of influence did such tests have on teaching and learning and what could educators do to ensure that this was beneficial rather than harmful? Some progress was made in defining notions such as ‘impact’ and ‘washback’, and a number of studies appeared which analysed the relationship between tests and teachers’ and learners’ attitudes and behaviour. There was a growing awareness of the importance of factors other than test design in determining whether tests would have the impact that was desired. These factors also appear in the literature of educational innovation, and it is to this field that some testers turned for guidance on whether test impact could be predicted or controlled. This paper summarises what language testers have learned about test impact in the last decade and discusses what one model of educational innovation has revealed about how tests interact with other factors in the testing situation. It concludes with a set of recommendations about the steps future test developers might take in order to assess the amount of risk involved in attempting to create change through testing.

Agora: The Impact of High-Stakes Testing

Reproduction d'un forum regroupant divers intervenants ayant le meme objectif : repondre a une question concernant l'influence et l'impact des tests a enjeux sur l'enseignement, la formation de l'enseignant, la recherche educationnelle, la politique de l'education et les reformes eventuelles.