Benefits And Backlashes Of High Stakes Testing

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The Benefits and Backlashes of High-Stakes Testing
What if the determining factor of whether or not you would be successful or a failure in life was solely based on the results of one test. Regardless of all the progress you have accomplished over your life, it all comes down to this big moment, the big test! That is the reality many students face annually due to high-stakes testing. High-stakes testing is the use of a summative test or an assessment to make decisions that are of prominent educational, financial, or social impact (Kubiszyn & Borich, 2013). Decisions such as graduation/grade promotion, school/state funding, or even job placement or termination.
Many critics of high-stakes testing believe that these test cause teachers to teach to the test. Pedulla, Abrams, Madaus, Russell, Ramos, and Miao (as cited in Madaus & Russell, 2010) found in a national survey that 80 percent of teachers admitted to increasing time spent on subjects that are tested on. These critics also believe that test scores increase as a result of placing sole focus on the test and revolving curriculum and instruction around the specific high-stakes test of that school. I do not agree completely agree with the statement that test scores increase as a result of teachers teaching to the test. It is unfair to say that since the vast majority of teachers are teaching to the test, that all other teachers are also doing the same. Sometimes increased test scores are a direct result of the hard work of
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