Advantages and Disadvantages:
A's: "Proponents of high-stakes testing may argue that the practice:
Holds teachers accountable for ensuring that all students learn what they are expected to learn; Motivates students to work harder, learn more, and take the tests more seriously, which can promote higher student achievement; Establishes high expectations for both educators and students, which can help reverse the cycles of low educational expectations, achievement, and attainment that have historically disadvantaged some student groups, particularly students of color, and that have characterized some schools in poorer communities or more troubled urban areas."
D's: "Opponents of high-stakes testing may argue that the practice:
Forces educators to “teach to the test”—i.e., to focus instruction on the topics that are most likely to be tested, or to spend valuable instructional time prepping students for tests rather than teaching them knowledge and skills that may be more important.
Promotes a more “narrow” academic program in schools, since administrators and teachers may neglect or reduce instruction in untested—but still important—subject areas such as art, health, music, physical education, or social studies, for example.
May contribute to higher, or even much higher, rates of cheating...: