The Impact Of Formative Assessments On Standardized And High Stakes Tests Essay

Improved Assessment Literacy: Unlike the current education system that treats assessment more separated from teaching, the core teaching standards recognize that teachers need to have greater knowledge and skill on how to develop a number of assessments, how to balance use of formative and summative assessment as

This article, "What Do Test Scores In Texas Tell US?" by the Rand Corporation looks at the pros and cons to high stakes testing in Texas. High stakes testing was meant to improve academic scores and motivate teachers, but unintended concerns have risen. Professionals and the media question exactly how beneficial these test are, and if we should continue to use them. Texas was looked at because students had made huge strides in statewide testing. "Gains in Texas Assessment and Academic Skills (TAAS) reading and math scores for both majority and minority have been so dramatic that they have dubbed the 'Texas Miracle '" (Rand, 2000). The success was so great that Texas students were put through further test to validate that these impressive scores. Students tested on the National Assessment of Educational Process (NAEP) between 1994 and 1998. After comparing the scores for TAAS to the scores of NAEP many questions arose for the validity of statewide testing. Tables in the article show that the TAAS scores are differ greatly than those of the NAEP. Though the scores between the two test were much different Texas students who took the NAEP were higher than the U.S. average. Also, by 1998 the gap between the scores of white students and students of color got smaller. Questions about why the gap between the TAAS scores and the NAEP scores were so great were never directly answered. Suggestions were made that Texas teachers could more easily prepare students for the

In classrooms all across America, students sit perched over their desks in the process of taking standardized tests. As the students take the tests, teachers pace nervously up and down the rows of their classroom, hoping and praying that their students can recall the information which they have presented. Some children sit relaxed at their desks, calmly filling in the bubbles and answering essay questions. These children are well prepared and equipped to handle their tests. Other children, however, sit hunched over their desks, pondering over questions, trying to guess an answer. They struggle to recall information that has been covered many times in class, but they can’t.

The NCLB Act has obligated the government to find a way to keep track of progress, which, in their minds, is administering high-stakes tests. High-stakes testing is scrutinized all the time, since some believe it is the only indicator of tracking students and teachers. They seemed to have been ridiculed by many and favored by few; nonetheless there are significant disparities in the public’s and government’s opinion. According to Dunne (2000), “Tests aren't just tests anymore -- at least not high-stakes tests, which are being used in some states to determine which students stay back a grade, which high school seniors receive diplomas, which teachers get bonuses, and more.”

President Bush is promoting annual standardized testing for all students in grades three through eight in order to assess their academic achievements. This bill is currently being considered in Congress, and has garnered much support from individuals in the community. As of right now, fifteen states test students in those grades, and more than twenty have high school exit exams.

“Standardized testing has become the arbiter of social mobility, yet there is more regulation of the food we feed our pets that of the tests we give our kids ” (Robert Schaeffer quotes)

If ever there was an idea custom-made for a Jay Leno monologue, this was it: high school students campaigning to redesign the educational system. Isn't that like athletes changing practice methods? Whatever happened to respect for tradition. I happen to sympathize with this philosophy, though, simply based on the amount of time and effort wasted in school never to yield benefits. Required to study four years of several different subjects, many students waste energy instead of focusing on a specific career paths they will pursue. America’s present day education needs to incorporate a more efficient system focusing specifically on subjects people will use throughout life and how to measure talent.

Should our public schools continue to allow high stakes assessments, for example the FCAT, to play a large factor in determining if a student has met mastery of grade level standards? Numerous students do not test well due to nerves or other disabilities; some students even become ill which equates to inaccurate test results. Additionally, testing is such an enormous process that students are losing out on valuable classroom instruction. Finally, with students pending graduation or promotion to the next grade these high stakes tests are forcing teachers to teach to the test to ensure greater success.

This paper explores the concept of planning professional development to meet the needs of special education students by examining articles from scholarly journals in the special educational world, psychology in schools, and a case study. Even though teachers are given training on the importance of following a student’s Individualized Educational Program (IEP), there seems to be a gap in training when it comes to the level of instruction that special education students actually receive in the classroom. In analyzing the Texas Academic Performance Report for Timber Creek High School, there might be reason to believe that simply following a student’s IEP might not be enough to ensure the academic success of special education students as defined by results from the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) exam. Far too often, special education students are passed through the system out of fear of litigation yet their test scores reveal that we as educators can and must do better. After reviewing Timber Creek’s Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR), I became interested in examining the professional development opportunities available to educators that focus on how to enhance their current teaching strategies in regards to how they modify their lessons and assignments for their special education students. In my search, it became apparent that beyond initial training or information swapping about the necessary modifications a student needs,

Scholar Bill Ayers believes standardized testing in schools does not accurately measure what is necessary to be successful in life. Ayers insists that Standardized tests such as the American College Test (ACT) and the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) measure specific facts and function which are among the least interesting and slightest important information that children should know. In an article titled “Testing the Right Way for Talent”, written by Hugh Price, argues the fact that standardized tests fail to capture the qualities that are necessary to be successful in the business world. Another article labeled “Implementing NCLB Assessment and Accountability Requirements in an Imperfect World” composed by

How do we improve the quality of teachers we have in the classrooms now effectively. Wiliams explains at the end of chapter one, “we have to improve the quality of those teachers already working in our schools” by “love the ones you’re with” strategy (Wiliam, 2011). Then in chapter two it discusses how formative assessment is used and multiple ways, which I try to find ways I can help teachers within the classroom. The most effective example that Wiliams gives in chapter two, in my position is example the one dealing with developing professional development for teachers in math (p.40).

Recently, whenever I hear current teachers discussing about assessing students, ‘Formative Assessment’ is sure to be highlighted. Nowadays this method (formative assessment) is becoming popular among schools and is being applied widely in schools including my own school. Loughland and Kilpatrick (2015) identified in the few past decades, formative assessment has turned out to be the main goal for teachers and educational systems. On the foundation of Loughland and Kilpatrick (2015) findings and from my experience in the field of teaching, I found out nowadays teachers and school stakeholders strongly feel that formative assessment is the best method to assess in order to enhance students’ learning. For these evident reasons, I am interested in finding

Standardized test are in grave need of change. The way deduce whether our students are ready for college or a job is inconclusive. The test are lacking of qualities that show how a student could really perform in the work environment. This is the reason we should test our students in other ways rather than the outdated, obsolete method we have so strongly chosen today. We rely on the score our students achieve to determine whether or not they should be allowed into a college or not. Standardized test not only determines college admissions, they may also determine whether or not the applicant will get hired for a job. This is unfair for the students with more skills than recognition of facts.

Visualize a standardized test taken annually by millions of students in the U.S.A. that directly affects teaching methods, school budgets, and grade promotion. Presently, millions of schools are utilizing high-stakes tests to determine these major factors. The United States expects students to perform well on standardized testing, or school districts will suffer financial consequences under the No Child Left Behind Act (Au 502). This places pressure on everyone from administrators to students in a school district. Schools worldwide are stressed to succeed on these standardized tests when they only measure a fraction of a student’s intelligence. Standardized testing must be discontinued because it negatively affects school curricula,

Formative assessments allow teachers to adapt instruction based on results, making modifications and improvements that will produce immediate benefits for students’ learning. Formative assessments can be done in two different ways: