DiMatteo Mod 3 Standardized Achievement Tests 1

Module 3 Reflection Assignment

Current State of Standardized Achievement Test

Samantha DiMatteo

Marygrove College
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Standardized and achievement tests play a predominant roll in both my state

and school district. Over recent years we have seen an increase in the amount of

tests that are administered to the student body. This influx in standardized testing

brings a variety of pressures to all stakeholders, including the schools,

administrators, staff, and students. After reflecting on this weeks readings and on

my schools emphasis on state and achievement assessments I was reminded of

one of my favorite quotes by Albert Einstein: Education is not the learning of

facts, but the training of the mind to think. These assessments have become the

central focus of our educational system and because they focus mostly on recall

we have begun to loose sight of what truly important, our students depth of

understanding.

At the start of my teaching career the state of New Jersey required that all

students pass the HSPA (High School Proficiency Assessment) in order to receive a

high school diploma; this exam has since been replaced with the PARCC

(Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) exam. Not only

are these tests created as graduation requirements, students performance on

these state exams are reflected in our own personal evaluations. One of the main

cons of the administration of these assessments is that the pressure to be

successful on these tests has begun to take a toll on the classroom environment.

These tests hold both teachers and students accountable for school and

state standards. If students dont score accordingly there are a number of

negative repercussions including, not receiving a diploma, poor teacher

evaluations, and the school can loose state funding. Because of these factors

these tests are beginning to dominate our field of education and our concerns have
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become more about scores and less about our students ability to understand and

apply the material. Wiggins and McTighe (2011) explain, instruction is often

focused on superficial coverage of lots of content as specified by national, state,

and provincial standards (p.4). Our curriculum is broad and our students

are heavily tested. This causes me to feel pressure to race through the content of

the text to ensure that my students have been exposed to a wide array of topics

prior to testing. Wiggins and McTighe note, Curricula that emphasize breadth of

knowledge may prevent effective organization of knowledge because not enough

time is provided to learn anything in depth (p. 5). Our students need the

opportunity to explore topics and apply their concepts to new real-life application.

When a teacher is concerned about their score, more than their comprehension,

the students suffer.

Testing does have its place, and these exams do have some pros. In

reference to state standardized testing, they help ensure that each district is

providing students with instruction and an education. A statewide exam provides

feedback as to the success of each schools educational program. It is important to

not that schools should be compared with other schools of similar demographics,

as there are a number of factors that can contribute to successful test scores such

as the special education and economically disadvantaged population. After state

scores are released, my district compiles these scores and compares them with

those from other schools in the state. This analysis helps us gain perspective as to

whether or not we adequately prepared our students for the exam. A second pro

comes in regards to our schools achievement tests (Quarterly Benchmark

Assessments), which are designed collectively by the teaching staff. These are
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tests that are administered universally to each subject at the end of each marking

period. Once the exams are graded results are compared amongst teachers who

teach the same subjects. If one teacher had a question that the majority of their

students answered incorrectly then other teachers who had success with that

question can share what they feel helped their students successfully approach that

question. Similarly, if the majority of students got a question wrong it could be

reevaluated as to its validity. Bookhart and Nitko (2015) state, In some cases you

may need to add information to make a question clearer or more authentic (p.

182). These QBAs are very useful assessments because they allow teachers to

collaborate and better their teaching practices based off of feedback from their

peers. Thoughtful construction of assessment tasks will help teachers gain

valuable feedback as to their students true comprehension of the subject matter.

Creating assessments of this nature is one of the greatest challenges. Bookhart

and Nitko (2015) state, A well-designed performance task gives students the

opportunity to apply their learning to a new situation, not just repeat information

from class or from a text (p. 270). Although this task is a challenge it poses great

benefits as it offers valuable feedback as to the depth of each students

understanding.

The concept of the pressures of state mandated testing reminds me of

another quote by Albert Einstein, Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by

its ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid. We are

judging everybody by the same standards and failing to recognize each students

unique potential. As a teacher I have the opportunity to positively influence a

number of young minds. I want to capitalize on each of their strengths and

encourage them to thrive in that which they are passionate about. I dont want the
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goal of my teaching to be that my students are successful at simple recall and the

regurgitation of facts. Wiggins and McTighe (2011) also state, The point of school

is not merely to know things but to become better at and more assertive about

inquiry (p. 15). It is imperative that we design our lessons in such a way that our

students can transfer their knowledge not just recall if for an exam. My ultimate

goal is to teach my students to think in hopes that they continue on in life with

encouraging and applicable knowledge.

References

Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2011). The understanding by design guide to creating
high-quality units. Alexandria, Va.: ASCD.

Brookhart, S. M., & Nitko, A. J. (2015). Educational Assesssment of Students.

Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.