Full Description
High-stakes standardized testing has a long history of exclusion, oppression, power, and control with deep roots in the landscape of American education. In this text, the events and circumstances that have forged the way of high-stakes testing are presented in a straightforward and accessible manner.
This history is essential to understanding our current realities of testing in the United States especially as they relate to marginalization and control of certain populations. Furthermore, a historical perspective provides a lens to consider high-stakes standardized testing critically; to unpack the purposes, benefits, and damages of this practice.
Contents
Introduction
1 Background
1 Premodern History: 210 BCE-1900
1 Chinese Competitive Exams
2 European Examinations
3 Social Physics and the Bell Curve
4 Examinations in the United States
5 S. Pearson & Son
6 Discussion
2 Modern History: 1900-1950
1 Formation of the College Board
2 Galton's "Anthropometry in Schools"
3 The Binet Scale
4 Ayres Study
5 Kelly's Multiple Choice
6 Thorndike's Standardized Achievement Tests
7 Terman & Yerkes' Army Alpha and Army Beta
8 Oakland, California Large-Scale Intelligence Testing
9 Otis and Intelligence Testing
10 Carl Brigham and the SAT
11 The Iowa Program
12 Educational Testing Service
13 Discussion
3 Modern History: 1950-2000
1 Launch of Sputnik
2 Fordham Foundation
3 Elementary & Secondary Education Act: Title I
4 Coleman Report
5 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Project
6 Minimum Competency Testing
7 A Nation at Risk
8 National Assessment Government Board
9 The Influence of the Nation's Governors
10 Southern Regional Education Board
11 The National Education Summit
12 Goals 2000
13 ESEA: The Improving America's School Act
14 The National Governors Association (NGA) National Education Summit
15 Texas Academic Assessment Skills (TAAS) and the Texas Miracle
16 Discussion
4 Modern History: 2001-2021
1 No Child Left Behind
2 Achieve's Out of Many, One Report
3 Common Core State Standards (CCSS)
4 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and Race to the Top
5 PARCC & SBAC
6 Fordham Institute Letter Grades
7 Every Student Succeeds Act
8 COVID-19
9 Opting-Out
10 Discussion
Final Thoughts
Appendix A: Tests Required for Federal Accountability
References
Index
