Monday, February 3, 2014

Part 3: High Stakes Testing and Opting Out: The Variables | Parents Across America

Part 3: High Stakes Testing and Opting Out: The Variables | Parents Across America:



Part 3: High Stakes Testing and Opting Out: The Variables





 teacher evals3

The Variables
High stakes testing has ramifications including ending careers and affecting communities by closing schools. Hence, we need to look carefully at the variables that might affect a student’s performance on a test.
Teachers and principals do not work in a vacuum. They have students with lives outside school. Students live in a real world. The real world affects how they behave and their ability to focus in class. These factors include:
  • English being a second language
  • The physical and emotional health of the student
  • If the student has had enough to eat or adequate time to sleep
  • If there are distracting circumstances at home
  • If the student has a home
  • If the student is supported by tutors or parents who can help with homework
  • The availability and  quality of the instructional materials used in the classroom
  • The size of the class
  • School attendance
  • Having additional sources of enrichment outside the classroom
State leaders deciding whether to comply with Federal regulations requiring high stakes testing must