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High Stakes Testing Essay

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Recommended: Effects of high stakes testing

Nicolas Wiyono
Ms. Gaylord
English 10
13 July 2023

The Limitations of High-Stakes Testing Towards Students' Skills and Mental Health

High-stakes testing has become a widely used method to assess students' skills and compare their academic abilities. These tests refer to assessments or exams that have significant consequences for students in educational systems. These tests typically carry high stakes because they heavily influence important decisions, such as student promotion, graduation, college admissions, or school funding. Although high-stakes testing provides a standardized way to compare student performance across schools, the pressure to perform well on these tests can lead to heightened stress and anxiety, which can negatively impact …show more content…

Standardized tests may harbor inherent cultural, socioeconomic, and linguistic biases that disadvantage certain student populations. Students from diverse backgrounds may face barriers in test design and content that prevent them from demonstrating their true abilities. Furthermore, the reliance on standardized measures can perpetuate educational inequities by favoring students who are already privileged. Grace Tatter, a digital content creator at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, claims “Stress and its effect on the brain might be one reason that students from low-income neighborhoods tend to fare worse on high-stakes tests” (Tatter, 2019). High-stakes testing should be critically evaluated to address its potential biases and ensure fair and accurate comparisons of students' …show more content…

This can include performance-based assessments, portfolios, projects, presentations, and teacher observations. For example, by implementing portfolio-based evaluation systems where students collect samples of their work over time to demonstrate their learning and growth. Portfolios can include diverse pieces of evidence, such as essays, projects, artwork, and reflections, offering a holistic representation of students' abilities and progress. And by emphasizing the use of performance-based assessments that require students to apply their knowledge and skills in real-world scenarios. Performance-based assessments provide a more authentic and comprehensive measure of students

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