Third through Sixth Graders' Perceptions of High-Stakes Testing

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore elementary students' perceptions of high-stakes testing. Although researchers have investigated the perceptions of teachers (Barksdale-Ladd & Thomas, 2000;Gordon & Reese, 1997;Hoffman, Assaf, & Paris, 2001), parents (Barksdale-Ladd & Thomas, 2000), administrators (Nolen, Haladyna, & Haas, 1999), student teachers (Sturtevant, White, & Dunlap, 2001), and even policy makers (Atkinson & Miller, 1999), little is known about children's perceptions of high-stakes testing. In the midst of a wave of nationwide attention to test scores, we wondered what we could learn about the testing milieu from the primary stakeholders-the children. The High-Stakes MilieuIn the past 20 years, large-scale statewide testing has become increasingly prevalent in this country. Although states differ regarding the types of tests used, most states implemented these tests in response to A Nation at Risk (National Commission on Excellence in Education, 1983), which described the American education system as "mediocre" and recommended new "rigorous and measurable standards" that could give our country a competitive edge (p. 1). Initially, these tests were mandated by state legislatures and policymakers, but they have recently been bolstered by the federal government as a result of the No Child Left Behind legislation. As tests have become more prevalent, they have also become increasingly high-stakes in nature. For example, early statewide tests were used to determine graduation from high school. Now, most states use these tests for making decisions on promotion and retention across several grade levels, as well as high school graduation (Allington, 2002;Barksdale-Ladd & Thomas, 2000;Hoffman et al., 2001;Horn, 2003). Concerns over accountability in the public schools have led to a nationwide demand for yardsticks by which school districts, schools, teachers, and students can be measured and compared. Even realtors publish local high-stakes test scores as a means of selling the quality and value of homes (Amrein & Berliner, 2002).However, many educators are questioning the value and validity of these tests. Educational research does not reflect positively upon high-stakes testing (Barksdale-Ladd & Thomas, 2000;Gordon & Reese, 1997;Hoffman et al., 2001;Jones et al., 1999;Triplett, Barksdale, & Leftwich, 2003). One of the recent criticisms of high-stakes testing centers on poor and minority students. Amrein and Berliner (2002) reported that "high-stakes testing policies have had a disproportionately negative impact on students from racial minority and low socioeconomic backgrounds" (p. 10). Their research revealed that poor and minority students are more likely to have failing scores on high-stakes tests. These findings relate directly to those of Wilkins (1999), who found that success on high-stakes tests could be predicted by the demographic opportunity structure of the local community. Kohn (2000) argued that use of high-stakes testing in decisions about promotion and retention would lead to high dropout ...

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