"Accountability?
Read This First.
'Tests fail because of an effect I call the 'Numerical Outcome Principle'. . . .
. . .Our leaders need to look beyond the numbers,
and judge the context in which the numbers arose. . . '
- Joe Ganem
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Why Testing Fails
By Joseph Ganem Ph.D."
There is broad agreement, that improving education requires assessing student outcomes, and holding those responsible accountable for the results. But, the use of standardized tests, as a tool for assessment and accountability, has resulted in more disillusionment than improvement. The heavy emphasis on testing mandated by the No Child Left Behind Law, has not lead to the sought after gains in educational outcomes.
I believe that the failure of mandated testing is a predictable result. Tests fail because of an effect I call the "Numerical Outcome Principle." Simply put: Once a number is used to judge outcomes, people will adjust their behavior to maximize that particular number.The actual outcome no longer matters. The field of education is rife with examples of the Numerical Outcome Principle in action; instances in which the attainment of lofty goals is undone by the substitution of numbers in place of sound human judgment.
Consider the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), which is a widely used instrument for college admission decisions. The original purpose of the SAT was to provide a level playing field for admission to college. The intent of the test was to identify the students most likely to succeed in college, without regard to social and economic background. In theory, a student from a poor inner city school district, and a student from an expensive private prep school, who have
