A poll sponsored by the American Association of School Administrators last summer found that 63 percent of respondents disagreed with the idea that one test can accurately measure students' progress. Thirty-four percent of public school parents said standardized testing is emphasized too much in their community, an increase from 19 percent just three years ago. Concern is growing that this emerging testing backlash could seriously hamper the standards movement and other efforts at accountability and education reform. The truth is that testing always has been a part of teaching. The problem is clearly one of test interpretation and usage.
Tests create a sense of objectivity when, in reality, a great deal of subjectivity is involved.
That is specifically the case in the determination of the cutoff points that define the achievement levels. A highly rigorous and systematic process is followed by the National Assessment Governing Board in establishing the standards of performance applicable to the NAEP tests. The standards are thoroughly reviewed by focus groups and content experts and then discussed at public forums before they are brought to NAGB for adoption. Even so, standard setting for NAEP has been controversial. The percentage of students either passing or failing a high-stakes state test will vary according to the difficulty of the tests and where the bar is set.