Abstract
School and government officials, system administrators and other policymakers offer a
variety of reasons for engaging in high stakes testing: to monitor student
performance, to measure teacher and/or school effectiveness, to ensure
accountability, etc. Some of these reasons are good; others not. But the best reason
- one that is never offered, because it is not true - is that such testing furthers
our efforts to realize our considered educational aims and ideals. I argue that
while some testing is perfectly legitimate, current high stakes testing practice is
largely inimical to the achievement of our most defensible educational ends.