High-Stakes Proficiency Testing

Jenelle Hopkins, NSF - Einstein Fellow in Geoscience

What learning is this evaluation activity designed to assess?

This is an example of a high school proficiency test that is used in Nevada. Sometimes called 'high stakes' tests, students must pass this test in order to graduate from high school. In Nevada, these tests are first administered in the spring of their sophomore year. The students have about 11 tries between then and the summer after their graduation date to get a high enough score. Remedial courses are offered during and after school for failing students at no cost. The cut-off score is raised each year. Currently, students are only required to pass Math, English, and Reading. Science will be added for students who will graduate in 2008.

What is the nature of the teaching/learning that your evaluation has been designed to assess?

This test is designed by teachers from the different subject areas from around the state. These teachers get together each summer to develop the test items. These items are then given to someone like WestEd for alignment with standardized testing protocols. This test is supposed to represent the minimum competency of a high school graduate.

What advice would you give others using this evaluation?

I thought that this group might be interested in seeing the minimum level at which the students are coming out of high school. Of course, each state will be different. And of course, not all of the students who take this test will be going on to college.

What particular aspects would you like feedback on?

Are you in favor of these types of tests? Each year we have students who have successfully completed the course load for graduation, but cannot pass one or more sections of this test. They get a 'certificate of attendance', not a diploma.
Which subjects should be tested?
What do you think of the level of the test items?
How do you think these scores compare to the ACT/SAT scores?