| The focus on meeting student needs and measuring student achievement has been in existence since the inception of the modern public school system in the United States. Today, high-stakes testing is one vehicle states are using to continue to achieve this increased accountability measure to ensure that students are meeting educational benchmarks. By definition, high-stakes tests, like other standardized assessments, measure student achievement. However, unlike typical standardized tests, student scores on these exams are used primarily to determine whether or not students will graduate and/or be advanced to the next grade level. It is this distinction---using the results of these exit exams as one of the determinants for graduation from high school--that makes them "high-stakes" for the students involved. School officials will be faced with important decisions about high school students when they embark upon decisions whether to implement high-stakes testing within their municipality or domain. These decisions may ultimately impact graduation rates and the future that awaits youngsters well beyond their high school years. The ramifications for children who do not graduate is so important and profound that states, local school boards, and district administrators should pay heed to the dangers and pitfalls that await those who fail to earn a diploma because of a failure to pass a high-stakes exam. In order to provide states, school districts, and school officials with guidance and direction as it relates to the creation and implementation of high-stakes testing, legal research methodology was employed for this study. In the final analysis, four distinct legal categories emerged through the review of literature process. These four legal categories form the basis for the findings and conclusions of this study. |
