ERIC Number: EJ1018903
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Oct
Pages: 31
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0002-8312
EISSN: N/A
Pressures of the Season: An Examination of Classroom Quality and High-Stakes Accountability
Plank, Stephen B.; Condliffe, Barbara Falk
American Educational Research Journal, v50 n5 p1152-1182 Oct 2013
High-stakes tests are the most heavily weighted measures in accountability systems developed in response to No Child Left Behind. While some studies show high-stakes accountability being related to test score gains, others suggest these policies do not improve achievement and often result in unintended consequences. To understand mechanisms driving positive and negative effects on student learning, it is necessary to look beyond achievement data and step inside classrooms. We present findings from 2 years of observation in 23 second and third grade classrooms, capitalizing on the combination of grade levels and seasons during which we observed. On the theoretically important domain of instructional support, we find classroom quality is lower when classrooms are under greatest pressure to increase test performance.
Descriptors: High Stakes Tests, Accountability, Educational Quality, Federal Legislation, Educational Legislation, Longitudinal Studies, Academic Achievement, Teacher Student Relationship, Classroom Techniques, Observation, Statistical Significance, Hierarchical Linear Modeling, Predictor Variables, Measures (Individuals), Classroom Environment, Elementary School Students, Elementary School Teachers, Educational Methods, Urban Schools, Student Needs, Emotional Response, Behavior Modification, Feedback (Response)
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education; Grade 1; Grade 2
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Maryland
Identifiers - Laws, Policies, & Programs: No Child Left Behind Act 2001
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A