Standardized Distraction: Why the Emphasis on High-Stakes Testing Can't Resolve Educational Inequality

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Giersch, J. (2012). Standardized Distraction: Why the Emphasis on High-Stakes Testing Can't Resolve Educational Inequality. Unc Charlotte Electronic Theses And Dissertations.
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Abstract

Standardized testing has exploded into nearly every grade level and subject area in public education over the past two decades. Attaching high stakes to standardized test results was intended to improve education for all students, but especially for those who belong to consistently low-performing groups. Theory and experience, however, show that privileged groups maintain their advantages even in the face of education reforms. Tracking practices in particular have the potential to worsen the inequalities associated with high-stakes testing. This study uses a unique longitudinal dataset to observe the existence, growth, and harm of achievement gaps through high-stakes testing in North Carolina. The study demonstrates that high-stakes standardized tests predict college performance for students whose high school experiences were in in the top academic tracks, but not for students in lower academic tracks. Findings suggest that standardized test scores of lower track students reflect less learning of the kinds of substance and higher order thinking skills needed to excel in college.

Details
Author

Giersch, Jason

Title

Standardized Distraction: Why the Emphasis on High-Stakes Testing Can't Resolve Educational Inequality

Physical Description

1 online resource (142 pages) : PDF

Date

2012

Degree Granting Institution

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Abstract

Standardized testing has exploded into nearly every grade level and subject area in public education over the past two decades. Attaching high stakes to standardized test results was intended to improve education for all students, but especially for those who belong to consistently low-performing groups. Theory and experience, however, show that privileged groups maintain their advantages even in the face of education reforms. Tracking practices in particular have the potential to worsen the inequalities associated with high-stakes testing. This study uses a unique longitudinal dataset to observe the existence, growth, and harm of achievement gaps through high-stakes testing in North Carolina. The study demonstrates that high-stakes standardized tests predict college performance for students whose high school experiences were in in the top academic tracks, but not for students in lower academic tracks. Findings suggest that standardized test scores of lower track students reflect less learning of the kinds of substance and higher order thinking skills needed to excel in college.

Genre

doctoral dissertations

Subjects--Topics

Government policy
Education and state
Educational sociology

Degree

Ph.D.

Keywords

Accountability
Education
High-Stakes Testing
Inequality
Public Schools
Tracking

Subject Area

Public Policy

Advisor(s)

Mickelson, Roslyn

Committee Members

Leland, Suzanne
Lyons, James
Moller, Stephanie
Stearns, Elizabeth

Degree Note

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2012.

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Rights Holder Information

Copyright is held by the author unless otherwise indicated.

Identifier

Giersch_uncc_0694D_10393

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13093/etd:1734