High Stakes Testing Essay

Are high stakes testing results appropriate indicators of success for students in special education? According to the article, special education students do not perform well on assessments. No Child Left Behind and IDEA hold students in special education accountable for their results on high stakes testing like never before. Increase in complexity of tests has made it difficult for students in special education to have success. This article is targeted toward all educators as well as administrators that are involved in making important decisions regarding high stakes testing and students in special education. Gordon’s research shows there is a direct correlation of dropout rates to lack of success on high stakes testing for students in special education. She also looks at student IEP accommodations and their direct link to appropriateness for assessment and instruction. Gordon’s information throughout the article is data driven, and states that there needs to be additional research to conclude information related to lack of success on assessments of students in special education regarding accommodations and dropout rates. How

I believe most students in special education should not be held to the same level of accountability as other students. The focus for students in special education should be more individualized and not standardized. Too much time is being spent preparing for standardized testing and practicing the tests. This takes away from instruction time and as noted by Gordon, students in special education require around 30-40 additional days of instruction to learn when compared to their peers. Assessment practice often drives instructional practices, leaving teachers to practice the tests and not focusing on academic needs and deficits in the