Part 2: High stakes testing and opting out: The types of tests
For the first part in this series, see Part 1: High stakes testing: A little history.
There are different types of tests that students typically take in a school year. One test the teacher creates and bases it on the information that has been provided in the classroom within a particular span of time. It provides information to the teacher, the parent and the student describing how much of a grasp the student has on the material.
Another test is a standardized test. Typically students take this test once each year to gauge their understanding and abilities in math, reading and writing. This provides the state and each school district a broader view of where students are in these subjects. For example in the state of Washington it’s the Measurements of Student Progress (MSP) and in Florida it is the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test® (FCAT).
There is also a test referred to as the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) (pronounced “nape”). This is a longitudinal test given every four years that measures student achievement and provides information on 4th, 8th and 12th graders around the country in public and private schools.
The information from the NAEP test results over the last twelve years has shown that our students