Print"Tests, if they are fair and accurate, and aligned with a rich curriculum, can play an important role in holding teachers, administrators and schools accountable for much of student achievement. But the narrow numerical measures of NCLB benefit no one, least of all the children they were supposed to help."
-Randi Weingarten, AFT President
National Convention, 2008
There is today a heavy focus on—and a disproportionate weight given to—testing and accountability in standards-based reform. States and the federal government lately have over-emphasized assessments and accountability and de-emphasized (or, in some cases, ignored) both the process of assessing the standards or aligning curriculum and professional development to them. The 2001 No Child Left Behind federal legislation exacerbates this situation. Too many states and districts have paid more attention to developing "gotcha" assessments than improving the quality of teaching and learning. Too many educational systems are driven by assessments rather than by the standards that tests are designed to measure. This approach is backwards. It's unfair to give tests that aren't aligned to the curriculum, or to impose sanctions without interventions, or to use test results strictly for punitive measures rather than as areas for improvement or indicators of progress.
The American Federation of Teachers has, for many years, been supportive of quality standardized assessment that is
fair and timely, and that informs and supports instruction. When used appropriately, assessments are a valuable tool in improving education for all children. Standardized tests can provide useful data about student learning. When aligned with strong standards and curriculum, for example, test scores can help diagnose student strengths and weaknesses, and can help identify "holes" or "gaps" in the curriculum and standards. Assessment data can trigger important interventions such as extra help for struggling students or professional development for teachers.
The AFT's position on student assessment and testing has been consistent:
- We favor appropriate, high-quality, responsible student testing that must support and enhance teaching and learning and must be linked to instruction, which means teachers should be involved at all stages of the test development process.
- Testing is an integral—although not exclusive—part of a standards-based educational system. As such, tests should be based on state standards, tied directly to the curriculum and define appropriate levels of acceptable performance.
- States' testing practices should be monitored to eliminate over-testing; to check that standards are driving what's tested, not the reverse; and to ensure alignment among assessments and other key aspects of a standards-based educational system (such as standards, curricula, professional development).
Characteristics of Strong, Standards-Based Assessment Systems
Tests should not be used to determine "winners" or "losers." They should show where more work is needed. Tests are misused when they are the sole determinant of student promotion; they are misleading if passing scores are arbitrarily set, and unfair if they're not closely tied to curricula. No child's future should depend on a single test. Other evidence must be included in such decisions.
Examples from the Field
