Frequently Asked Questions about Assessment

What makes an assessment “high-stakes”?

A single test determines the outcome of an important event such as passing a grade/course, graduating from high school, or changing the funding for a school.

Are high stakes assessments required by law?

Yes. No Child Left Behind mandates that every state test children in reading or language arts and math every year between grades 3 and 8 and once between grades 10 and 12. Beginning in the 2005-2006 school year, science assessments also become mandatory. Federal law does not mandate the testing of any other subjects (including writing); however, states can assess these other subjects at their own discretion.

What is AYP and how does it relate to assessments?

 AYP stands for adequate yearly progress. All students in a school must make a certain (state determined) progress each year for the school to make AYP. Progress is determined by performance on the high-stakes assessments. If the school does not make AYP, they may suffer serious sanctions including the complete restructuring of the school. The progress students make each year must be such that all students (including all disaggregated subgroups) will be proficient, as measured by the state assessments, by the 2013-1014 school year.

After consulting state and local leaders, the U.S. Department of Education issued a letter in July, 2002 clarifying the definition of adequate yearly progress, a provision of the No Child Left Behind Act. The letter is available here.

What is disaggregation and why is it important?

All test scores are not just judged by the full school but also by small subgroups of students. The subgroups represent minorities, learning disabilities, socioeconomic status, English language learners, etc. All subgroups must make AYP for the whole school to make AYP.