In schools today, tests are being used for a variety of reasons, such as an indication of school accountability and also to track students, label them, or place them in specialized programs. Excessive dependence on test outcomes can adversely effect students' educational goals and contribute to their disengagement from education, because (among other factors) students are not helped to understand the value of education. One approach to solve this dilemma is for all educational stakeholders to work in close collaboration by fulfilling such responsibilities as ensuring that parents understand that students come to school ready and willing to learn, parents build their children's confidence and self-esteem, teachers use varied methods of instruction and assessment, administrators provide incentives to stimulate learning, community members serve as student mentors and tutors, and policymakers minimize the occasions when students must participate in standardized testing. (5 references) (EJS)