Students’ Perceptions of a Maryland State Performance Assessment

Abstract

The purpose of the study reported in this article was to provide empirical evidence of students’ views about a state performance assessment and its effects in science and social studies classrooms in Maryland. We developed 2 student questionnaires, 1 for each subject, and administered them to a statewide, stratified random sample of students in grades 4, 5, 7, and 8. These grades were selected to allow comparison of responses from students in tested grades (5 and 8) to those in nontested grades (4 and 7). A total of 19,645 students responded to the questionnaires (9,802 for science and 9,843 for social studies). The response rate was approximately equal across the 4 grades for each subject. Results are described in 5 areas: familiarity with the assessment, beliefs about assessment item formats, preparation for the assessment, effect on classroom practices, and effect on the school. Overall, students had a positive impression of the state assessment. We discuss implications of results within the context of the No Child Left Behind legislation and its effects on accountability and assessment systems.

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