Talk:High-stakes testing

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[edit] Silly

I admit that this:

• Tests reveal that some examinees do not know the material. While failing these people may have many public benefits, the consequences of repeated failure can be very high for the individual. For example, a person who fails a practical driving exam will not be able to drive a car legally, which means they cannot drive to work and may lose their job if alternative transportation options are not available.

sounds a bit silly at first glance, but at bottom this is one common "civil rights" argument against high school graduation exams. There are actually people who think it's better to give a high school diploma to a kid who is functionally illiterate because the "stupid piece of paper" is necessary to get many jobs these days. Some of these people oppose high-stakes testing specifically because kids who cannot read will actually be identified as not being able to read. I'm open to a better example, but the general idea that a test can identify people with inadequate knowledge is important. WhatamIdoing (talk) 20:29, 15 December 2007 (UTC)