Student
Assessment and Evaluation
By: Anna Sanalitro
Challenge: Has standardized testing as implemented by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 changed instructional practices or has it simply created a teaching to the test approach?
Although The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 has altered the educational landscape in the United States and has proposed “to close the achievement gap with accountability, flexibility, and choice, so that no child is left behind” (p.1425) many believe that it has failed to do so. While the act pushes forward the notion that all children are capable of learning and that it is the obligation of the educational system to ensure that they do; the law itself has proven to be riddled with flaws. Sharon Nichols and David Berliner (2010) argue that No Child Left Behind is flawed, due to the increasing demand of high-stakes assessments used in order to determine if a student is ‘proficient’ or not. According to Nichols and Berliner (2010), “a high-stakes testing climate sends a message that the primary purpose of learning is to score well on the test” (p.14). On the flip side of the coin, Dianne Piché, argues that “Congress should not continue to subsidize failure after providing years of assistance and opportunity to improve.” (p.59). Piché goes on to compare this reform movement to the civil rights movement, whereby, she explains that we are “in dire need of creative thinking, committed education leaders, and informed, involved parents-all united in our belief in the worth and value of every young life and each child’s potential to learn and do great things” (p.59). This position paper will discuss standardized testing one of the many controversial issues that divides the country with respect to the No Child Left Behind Act. Standardized tests, further defined are examinations administered and scored in a uniform and predetermined manner to aid educators in drawing inferences on student’s abilities and knowledge and promote accountability which can lead to higher expectations for students and schools (Popham, 1999; Tilly, 2008). Standardized tests are intended to measure learning outcomes and skills that are common to the curricula (Chatterji, 2003).
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By: Anna Sanalitro
Challenge: Has standardized testing as implemented by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 changed instructional practices or has it simply created a teaching to the test approach?
Although The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 has altered the educational landscape in the United States and has proposed “to close the achievement gap with accountability, flexibility, and choice, so that no child is left behind” (p.1425) many believe that it has failed to do so. While the act pushes forward the notion that all children are capable of learning and that it is the obligation of the educational system to ensure that they do; the law itself has proven to be riddled with flaws. Sharon Nichols and David Berliner (2010) argue that No Child Left Behind is flawed, due to the increasing demand of high-stakes assessments used in order to determine if a student is ‘proficient’ or not. According to Nichols and Berliner (2010), “a high-stakes testing climate sends a message that the primary purpose of learning is to score well on the test” (p.14). On the flip side of the coin, Dianne Piché, argues that “Congress should not continue to subsidize failure after providing years of assistance and opportunity to improve.” (p.59). Piché goes on to compare this reform movement to the civil rights movement, whereby, she explains that we are “in dire need of creative thinking, committed education leaders, and informed, involved parents-all united in our belief in the worth and value of every young life and each child’s potential to learn and do great things” (p.59). This position paper will discuss standardized testing one of the many controversial issues that divides the country with respect to the No Child Left Behind Act. Standardized tests, further defined are examinations administered and scored in a uniform and predetermined manner to aid educators in drawing inferences on student’s abilities and knowledge and promote accountability which can lead to higher expectations for students and schools (Popham, 1999; Tilly, 2008). Standardized tests are intended to measure learning outcomes and skills that are common to the curricula (Chatterji, 2003).
Show more