When do students take standardized tests

We compare data over a number of years to find trends—and then trace any changes back to their source. If the math scores of our fourth grade students suddenly jump, we want to identify what change led to the improved performance, and how we can continue to implement this within our curriculum. In worst case scenarios, instead of determining the entire picture of learning through a review of all assessment data with their teachers, a student might determine their success based on a standardized test score that is taken once a year..

When standardized exams become all important in a school or district, it has a massive impact on teaching and learning.

Educators may also stop trying new techniques and teaching methods in the classroom. This comes at the cost of inquiry, engagement, creativity and risk taking in student learning. Cultural factors, unfamiliarity with testing methods, test anxiety, and illness can wreak havoc with how well a student performs.

Does a low score indicate a lack of knowledge about the subject or a problem with taking the standardized test? For example, an excellent writer could struggle with picking out the right answer in a multiple choice grammar and punctuation test. That test is more likely than before to incorporate content on diverse cultural heritages.

And students taking a test may not even be aware they are being assessed, as more tests are blended with instruction. As a psychometrician who has designed, evaluated and researched educational tests for over 25 years, I believe this new era of school testing is a great improvement. It means tests have more potential to facilitate student learning , rather than just monitor learning or penalize students.

And it shows that, after years of growing public distrust in educational testing, standardized tests are no longer just tools for accountability — the public is now holding test makers accountable. The federal No Child Left Behind Act of , and its successor, the Every Student Succeeds Act of , require states to periodically test all students in grades , and once in high school, in math, reading and science.

High school and college admissions tests have also been targets of criticism and are declining in use. In , the University of California decided to phase out ACT and SAT testing requirements due in large part to the impact these scores had on denying admissions to Black and Hispanic students.

Similar complaints surround admissions tests for competitive high schools. Giving more time for fewer, more complex or richer testing questions can also increase performance, in part because it reduces anxiety. Test achievement often reflects outside conditions, and how students do on tests can be shifted substantially by comments they hear and what they receive as feedback from teachers. When teachers tell disadvantaged high school students that an upcoming assessment may be a challenge and that challenge helps the brain grow, students persist more, leading to higher grades, according to research from Stanford professor David Paunesku.

Also harmful to student motivation are data walls displaying student scores or assessments. While data walls might be useful for educators, a study found that displaying them in classrooms led students to compare status rather than improve work. The most positive impact on testing comes from peer or instructor comments that give the student the ability to revise or correct.

Not All Tests Are Bad One of the most useful kinds of tests are the least time-consuming: quick, easy practice quizzes on recently taught content. Indeed, early in the pandemic, the Trump administration allowed states to waive all spring standardized tests for The following year, many expected the Biden Administration to do the same thing, since large numbers of students were still learning remotely and schools had struggled all year to keep pace with learning.

However, the Biden administration heeded the concerns of civil rights and educational justice groups, requiring that states continue testing , precisely because it was such a challenging year and so many children would have fallen behind. However, states received tremendous flexibility in how and who they tested in , so in truth, we are losing two years of data. This no doubt produces huge obstacles for districts that seek to diagnose the effectiveness of their schools and curricula, and removes a critical tool from the advocacy toolbelt of the civil rights sector.

Become an informed consumer. Information is power. In order to advocate effectively, you must understand the purpose of particular tests and how your school will use the results. Is it to drive instruction? Is it to measure state trends? Is it to fulfill federal regulations? One of the strings attached is your state has to come up with a plan to assess student progress during this pandemic year.

No hiding from learning loss! We need the data in order to create plans that will address the crisis. Our schools are failing to justly serve large groups of children; in this sense, supporting standardized testing is part of the work of ensuring child justice. Current standardized tests, while vital for improving learning gaps, are stuck in the Stone Age. In order to minimize the time and money spent on assessments, state education systems need to invest in innovating our testing infrastructure.

Activists can demand their state leaders invest in innovation to make tests less stressful and more useful for students, teachers, parents, schools and states. Comments are moderated to facilitate an open, honest and respectful conversation. While we never censor based on political or ideological viewpoints, we do not publish comments that are off-topic, offensive, or include personal attacks.

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