Most colleges and universities in the United States require students to take the SAT or ACT as part of the college application process. These tests are high stakes in at least three ways. First, most universities factor scores on these tests into admissions decisions. Second, higher scores can increase a student's chances of being admitted to…

Graduates of an Abu Dhabi transnational nursing degree struggled with the mandatory national licensing examination. Poor pass rates undermine graduate career futures and impact on the workforce capacity building contributions of the partnering transnational educational providers. This paper describes how the design and delivery of an intensive…

Preparing middle school students for the mathematics portion of standardized tests without "teaching to the test" may sound challenging and implausible. Building students' confidence and competence for test taking by way of mathematics homework may also sound unrealistic. However, in this age of high-stakes testing, teachers must find ways to…

High-stakes testing is one of the most controversial issues in American education. Advocates contend that these tests encourage students to work harder, provide teachers with a stronger understanding of students' strengths and weaknesses, and allow educators to target failing schools for extra help. Critics claim that they narrow and distort the…

The United States federal government, through the No Child Left Behind Act, is holding schools accountable for students' proficiency on academic standards. However, standards-based curriculum and instruction, along with school-based support and remediation programs, are not enough to help 100 percent of students to reach proficiency. It is…