The Effects of High Stakes The Effects of High Stakes Testing on Students’ Testing on Students’

LearningLearningBy Cindy NguyenBy Cindy Nguyen

Problem StatementProblem Statement

High stakes testing does High stakes testing does not increase students’ not increase students’

learning. learning.

What? Purpose…What? Purpose…

The goal of this research is The goal of this research is to understand the effects of to understand the effects of high stakes testing on high stakes testing on students’ learning.students’ learning.

..This research is This research is

important because it important because it affects how school affects how school system operates.system operates.

Why? Rationale…

Who? People involved…Who? People involved…

-Students-Students-Teachers-Teachers-Parents-Parents-Government Officials-Government Officials-School Officials-School Officials-District Officials-District Officials

Benefits of the research…Benefits of the research…

-Changes in schools’ grading policy-Changes in schools’ grading policy

-Changes to teachers’ incentive -Changes to teachers’ incentive systemsystem

-Help create new policies regarding -Help create new policies regarding assessmentsassessments

History of High Stakes History of High Stakes Testing…Testing…

-In the 1980s, the U.S. -In the 1980s, the U.S. education system were education system were deemed “deemed “at riskat risk” of failure” of failure

-To counter this, lawmakers -To counter this, lawmakers started transforming the started transforming the schools’ system with high schools’ system with high stakes testing playing a major stakes testing playing a major role role

Pros of High Stakes Pros of High Stakes TestingTesting

1. Quality of American education can be greatly improved by a system of rewards and sanctions that results from students’ test performance

Cons of High Stakes Cons of High Stakes TestingTesting

1. Tests put pressure on the students

2. Bad instructional practice because teachers are pressure to have high scores

2. The effects of high stakestesting threaten the validity of test scores, but also lead to “perverse” and “corrupt” educational practice

What influence high stake What influence high stake testing?testing?

No Child Left Behind LawNo Child Left Behind Law, , passed in 2002passed in 2002

No Child Left Behind No Child Left Behind (NCLB)(NCLB)

-States must have a set of -States must have a set of academic standardsacademic standards

-Assessments to monitor the -Assessments to monitor the progress of students to meet progress of students to meet those set of standardsthose set of standards

-Schools must report to the -Schools must report to the states these assessment’s states these assessment’s scores divide into different scores divide into different categories and sub groups categories and sub groups (ethnicity, economic (ethnicity, economic background, etc.) background, etc.)

-States must create a rating -States must create a rating system on the schools base system on the schools base on the data they sent about on the data they sent about the students’ scoresthe students’ scores

--States must create a plan (Adequate Yearly Progress or AYP) that would ensure 100 percent of its students will reach academic proficiency by the year 2014–2015

--States must come up with a system of accountability that includes rewards and sanctions to schools, educators, and students that are tied to whether they meet state’s goals outlined in the AYP plan.

Research ReportResearch Report

-I decided to do a little -I decided to do a little research about this topic. research about this topic.

Since my school does a lot of Since my school does a lot of mock TAKS testing days. I mock TAKS testing days. I

decided to examine students’ decided to examine students’ score over time.score over time.

Data – Class AveragesData – Class Averages

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Test #1 Test #2 Test #3

Class #1

Class #2

FindingsFindings

-No significant changes -No significant changes in students’ progressin students’ progress

-Scores were consistent-Scores were consistent

ConclusionConclusion

High stakes testing High stakes testing does not improve or does not improve or

hinder students’ hinder students’ progress.progress.

Bibliography Bibliography

Braun, H. (2004, January 5). Reconsidering the impact of high-stakes testing, Braun, H. (2004, January 5). Reconsidering the impact of high-stakes testing, Education Policy Analysis Archives, 12Education Policy Analysis Archives, 12(1). Retrieved [Date] from (1). Retrieved [Date] from http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v12n1/. http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v12n1/.

Nichols, S. L., Glass, G. V, & Berliner, D. C. (2006). High-stakes testing andstudent achievement: Does accountability pressure increase student learning? Education Policy Analysis Archives, 14(1). Retrieved [date] from http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v14n1/.

Supovitz, Jonathan. 2010. Is High-Stakes Testing Working? Supovitz, Jonathan. 2010. Is High-Stakes Testing Working? Penn GSEPenn GSE. Retrieved . Retrieved from http://www.gse.upenn.edu/review/feature/supovitz.from http://www.gse.upenn.edu/review/feature/supovitz.