Making students accountable for test scores works well on a bumper sticker and it allows many politicians to look good by saying that they will not tolerate failure. But it represents a hollow promise. Far from improving education, high- stakes testing marks a major retreat from fairness, from accuracy, from quality, and from equity.
- Sen. Paul Wellstone (1944-2002)
In response to high-stakes testing…
The narrative in Alsup and Bush on high-stake testing was very interesting, and raised questions that I have been concerned about during my practicum. High-stake testing has been forced on schools in an effort by politicians to mandate accountability; ultimately, the judgement will be passed on whether the teacher has “done their job,” based on whether their students succeed in a testing environment.
How are we supposed to view this situation? I assign work to my students, and frequently they do not complete their assignments. If I cannot trust them to read their books, how can I trust them to prepare for tests? There is a disconnect for students between their perception of what their work load should be and what is necessary for them to be prepared to take the EOCTs and the state-mandated graduation tests.
The administration at my school has determined that we need to “get the students ready for the test” by having them do practice tests online and complete workbooks. These processes are tedious for the students who do well in the class, and daunting for those who struggle. Couple the onerous task of test preparation with students who insist that they “can pass the test. Everyone passes the test” and you have a recipe for disaster. Even when confronted with failing grades on the practice test, students insist that “that’s not what the test is really like. It won’t be like that.” Is this an example of the “faith-based reality” I have heard so much about? How can I reach students who are so unwilling to put forth the effort needed to pass the class, let alone prepare for tests that, whether they like it or not, will alter the course of their lives? The narrative in Alsup and Bush advocates preparation performed “carefully and systematically” (Alsup and Bush, 2003, p. 159). Even the most careful, systematic preparation can be derailed if the student refuses to perform the work. How do we motivate the student who thinks they are too smart for “busy work?” What do you do if a student tells you that they “beat your practice test” because they took a 45-question test in less than two minutes? Grades that reflect their effort seem to be ineffective. I hesitate to stoop to scare tactics, but I am reaching that point. What would YOU do?
