High stakes testing

“High stakes tests” are so labeled because they carry serious consequences for the students and/or educators. They normally take the form of standardized achievement tests and are common tests across a nation, state, or city. The results of the tests impact on students in terms of whether they get a special diploma or certificate for gaining entrance to a higher level of education. There is impact on schools or teachers or educators including financial rewards, funding level provisions, public perceptions, social status, or even sanctions. As the consequences are serious, parents, students, educators, and the public in general have concerns about these tests, including validity issues and unintended negative consequences. Some researchers are of the view that it will require further studies to establish the positive impact of these tests. They maintain that there is a lack of evidence to show that testing improves student learning or instruction. There are financial implications for the ... Copyright © 2015 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.