What is "high-stakes testing"?

"High-stakes testing" refers to tests that determine whether individual students have reached a specific level of proficiency and that are intended to be used to determine whether the student is qualified to advance to another level or has met minimum standards. Examples are the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS), the Scholastic Achievement Tests (SAT), and the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). The debate over the value of high stakes testing is quite heated, especially in the public school arena. For sites favoring such testing programs, go here. For sites opposed to such testing, go here. For more information on high stakes testing in higher education, especially as it relates to second language learners and students of color, go here.