Research Notes: The Stakes of High-Stakes Testing

In a study co-authored with Scott Thomas, Laura Perna reveals how state-level high school proficiency exams are negatively affecting students' preparation for college enrollment, especially in low-performing student populations.

The authors selected three schools (one each with above-average, average, and below-average student achievement and socioeconomic status) in each of five states and, using a multilevel conceptual model, sought to determine how testing policy influences student opportunity to attend college.

Despite differences in testing standards, practices, and policies, Perna and Thomas found that focusing attention on exit exams can hinder college opportunity because the test content is not aligned with college-preparatory curricula. Many students also reported doubts about their suitability for college because of their school's poor performance on state tests. And because of the ramifications of such poor performance, schools often prioritize exam preparation over college readiness, both in terms of curriculum development and the diversion of the efforts of college counselors toward state requirements.   

The study further shows that this shift in focus is most keenly felt in lower-resource schools, which further encourages policies that channel resources away from college readiness in favor of remediation of test scores.

"Barriers to College Opportunity: The Unintended Consequences of State-Mandated Testing" appears in Educational Policy.