Remember Anything

High stakes assessment is the term used to describe tests where the test taker faces an important outcome depending on the results of the test. Common examples of these tests include performance tests that determine whether a student can proceed to the next grade, an assessment test that determines whether a student is eligible for acceptance at a school or university, or a test to determine whether someone deserves a particular certificate or license, such as a medical license or admission of a lawyer to a state bar. The tests come in a variety of forms. The form that most of us are familiar with, the standardized test, often use multiple-choice questions. In standardized tests all examinees are presented with the same number of questions, and the goal of the test is often to determine how the examinee rates compared to all other people taking the same test. High stakes assessment tests have supporters and detractors. So what are the pros and cons of these tests that have such an impact on all our lives?

The pros
Every time we have to seek medical help we assume that the doctor examining us has had a high degree of training. One of the many ways in which a physician proves herself is through passing tests at various stages of training. Another example is when applicants try to get into a college they usually all have to take the same tests, whether it is the SAT, ACT, GRE, or other standardized examination. In this sense we see the tests as fair. If everyone admitted to a school or granted a title or privilege must take the same high stakes assessment test, then all applicants are equal and this makes the system fair. Supporters of the tests also mention how examination of a large group of test scores can be an indicator of the success rate of an institution, a school district, a state, or even a national educational system.

The cons
One of the most common criticisms of high stakes assessment is that it tests the examinees’ acquired knowledge and test-taking skills, not the examinees’ ability to succeed in a certain field. Some argue that an examinee who has the ability to retain and recall specific bits of information is not necessarily guaranteed to be more successful than another examine who may not have the same type of mental recall or the same amount of experience taking standardized tests. Curiously, the same criterion that the supporters list as evidence, the tests’ quality of fairness, is the same that the detractors use. Those not in favor of the tests claim that certain tests or some specific test questions give an unfair advantage to examinees of a particular race or ethnic group.

Whether or not one supports high stakes assessment as a means to advancement, the fact remains that it will likely be with us for a long time. At present there are few alternatives, and entire industries have developed around helping prospective examinees prepare for the tests.

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