Essay On High Stakes Testing

We all know that a first impression on others are key to success. Everyone wants their impression to be genuine (one that reflects their true self), but that isn’t always the case. Some first impressions don’t go as planned and trying to redeem yourself isn’t the easiest task to prove yourself. In fact, many schools, teachers, and students across Texas are losing their genuine first impression on others due to one main culprit, high stakes testing. What many don’t realize is that high stakes testing doesn’t only affect the teachers and the schools, but it affects the students even more. These test determine whether or not the students are ready for the next grade level or not, when in reality it shouldn’t be based on that one factor. How can that one test …show more content…
The National Education Association and The Consortium for Research on Education Accountability and Teacher Evaluation both emphasizes the importance of validity in high stakes testing; that truly valid test are designed to “ensure that the unique factors that impact English Language Learners (ELL’s), students with disabilities, students from racial and ethnic groups, or economically disadvantaged students are specifically addressed in assessments that are used to measure academic achievement (NEA, 2007). In order for one’s true knowledge to be truly assessed these circumstances need to be taken into account: test taking jitters, personal abilities, educational and personal background, and the way the student learns. With these factors being known about a student, the assessment tends to be more valid than before. So think about it, how can multiple choice test assess these factors in a student? These test are generated for the general grade level students and don’t take into account that all students learn