High-Stakes Testing Assignment
Alicia Leak
Liberty University
EDLC 606: Test and Measurement
Professor Tomekia Watson
March 31, 2024
“High stakes testing is a result from No Child Left Behind. President George Bush signed
the law in 2001” (Klein, 2015). With high stakes testing test scores are used to determine
advancement and compensation for students and teachers. For students the test results will
determine if the child can advance to the next grade level or receive a diploma when graduating
high school. For an educator test result will also be used to determine their performance at their
job or compensation. High stakes testing has caused a lot of problems since it came into effect.
“High stakes testing has become part of the education system” (Drew, 2023). It is also
associated with concepts such as funding, accountability, and parents’ choice of school for their
children.
High stakes testing has several consequences that affect schools, students, and teachers.
When schools do poorly on high stakes testing it can endure negative publicity. “When students
score poorly, they are forced to repeat a grade or can not be able to receive their diploma. For
teachers, when their students perform poorly it can affect the teacher’s reputation and chances of
salary increases (Drew, 2023). Some students simply are not well test takers, like me. I do very
well with understanding the material when learning in the classroom. However, when it is time
for the test it is almost like I go blank and forget everything. Which for students like me do not
benefit from the high stakes testing because tests are such high grading scales so when you a
failure a test you could potentially fail the class. Whereas some students, if they already attend a
school with poor testing scores the funding for school is low which means resources are low.
Students will not be able to succeed properly in high stakes testing when they do not have the
proper resources to prepare them. “High stakes testing also leads to retention which could result
in kids dropping out of school” (Drew, 2023). Students can be embarrassed when having to
repeat a grade because other students will be aware it was due to grade performance.
When students are taught by test instead of real learning experience students can cause
students to remember the information instead of learning the material. When I was in grade
school, there were certain tests I knew I only passed because I remembered the material and my
teacher provided quizzes and study guides that favored the test. “Major educational decisions
should not be based solely on a test score” (IDRA, 2002). When it comes to the teachers,
sometime the failure of high-stake testing is not their fault and out of their control. Like
previously discussed sometime even the teachers do not have the proper resources to make sure
their students excel in their class. The test is a poor way for teachers and students to be “labeled”
based on numbers. “High stakes testing actively hurts, rather than helps” (IRDA, 2002).
Although I am against high stakes testing, I do also see some pros for this as well. For
one high standardized testing can hold the schools and teaching accountable. With students
knowing the risk for failing high stake testing, this can motivate them to work hard and achieve
their goals. If a student does get into a situation to where they do fail, for their next testing they
will want to try to do their best. High stakes testing needs to be reevaluated and favor into the
students and teachers who put in the work to make sure our students succeed.
References
The dangerous consequences of high-stakes testing, Fairtest, the National Center for fair and
open testing. IDRA. (2018, May 2). https://www.idra.org/resource-center/the-dangerous-
consequences-of-high-stakes-testing/
Drew, C. (2023, July 10). High-Stakes Testing: Definition, Examples, Pros & Cons.
Klein, A. (2015, April 10). No Child Left Behind: An Overview.
