High-Stakes Testing Infographic
Priscilla Johnson EDU/315 July 7, 2014 Janis Wiley
What Makes Tests High-Stakes?
"High-stakes testing has become the popular term that refers to the use of standardized tests that may lead to serious consequences" (Teachers and the Law, Fischer, Schimmel, & Stellman, 2014, p. 433). State laws and policies of school districts vary in implications for high-stakes testing. Some states use standardized tests in order to track students, grant promotions, and issuance of diplomas. This form of testing is employed as means to determine student ability and the effectiveness of the educational delivery systems, and allocated teacher and student accountability (Jones, Jones, & Hargrove, 2003). Failure to meet necessary scores on these high-stakes test can result in repercussions for teachers, students, and school districts including preventing students from moving forward in grade level, mandates for schools to implement improvement strategies, supplemental funding for provisions taken toward improvement, and even replacement of staff when necessary.
One State's Policy - Louisiana
Louisiana's high-stakes testing policy is center on expectations of achievement according to grade level (LDOE.org, 2014). The content of these tests present knowledge and skills students are expected to know at certain stages of education. In Louisiana, students participate in separate state tests, LEAP (Louisiana Educational Assessment Program) grades 4 and 8, iLEAP grades 3, 5, 7, and 9 and EOC (End-of-Course) grades 10 and 11, based on grade level using a scoring system of various achievement levels including: Advanced, Basic, Approaching Basic, and Unsatisfactory. Students in grades 4 and 8 must achieve acceptable scores or face detainment in the current grade. The iLeap is not considered high-stakes, and students taking the EOC face refusal of diploma if acceptable scores are not achieved.
Implications for Teachers Administering High-Stakes Tests
High-Stakes High-Stakes
"Deciding what gets taught in a limited school day is a tough decision" (Jones, Jones, & Hargrove, 2003, p. 22).
References
ASCD.org. (2011). Educational Leadership: What Students Need to Learn: High-Stakes testing Narrows the Curriculum. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/mar11/vol68/num06/High-Stakes_Testing_Narrows_the_Curriculum.aspx
CDN.com. (2014).Which [Image]. Retrieved from http://img.answcdn.com/view:feature/getty/student-behavior/e2d3b546/457384401.jpg
Fischer, L., Schimmel, D., & Stellman, L. E. (2011). Teachers and the Law (8th ed.). Boston,
MA: Pearson.
Jones, G.M., Jones, B. D., & Hargrove, T. (2003). The Unintended Consequences of High- Stakes Testing. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group.
LDOE. (2014). Interpreting LEAP/GEE Scores. Retrieved from http://www.doe.state.la.us/lde/uploads/16333.pdf
Washington Post. com. (2014). Bubble Test [Image]. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/opinions/outlook/spring-cleaning/images/high-stakes-test-350.jpg