Alternatives to High-Stakes Testing
Frequently Asked Questions about the Consortium

Q6: What is a High-Stakes Test?

High-stakes tests are tests that are used as the SOLE determinant of critically important educational decisions, such as grade promotion or graduation, in the life of a child.

So why do consortium schools say "NO" to high stakes tests?

Because...

• Learning is complex; assessment should be, too.
• Multiple forms of assessment have more reliability and consequential validity predicting future success than single instrument high-stakes tests.
• A performance-based assessment system requires students to demonstrate what they know, not how well they take tests.
• A performance-based assessment system tells schools, parents, colleges and employers how well students do in real-world situations.
• The Consortium's performance-based assessment system is aligned to, meets and exceeds the State Learning Standards.