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Are there any notable individuals or organizations who are particularly vocal about stakes testing as an educational policy?

Bruno Roark

Yes, there are definitely notable individuals and organizations who are particularly vocal about stakes testing as an educational policy. Stakes testing, also known as high-stakes testing, is a controversial policy in education that involves using test results to make important decisions like promotion, graduation, and even teacher evaluations.

One of the most vocal organizations against stakes testing is the National Center for Fair & Open Testing, or FairTest for short. FairTest is a non-profit organization that advocates for better ways to evaluate student learning, instead of relying on high-stakes tests. They argue that these tests are unfair to students from low-income backgrounds, who may not have access to the resources they need to succeed on the tests.

Another organization that is critical of stakes testing is the National Education Association (NEA), which is the largest teacher's union in the United States. The NEA believes that high-stakes testing has negative consequences for both students and teachers. They argue that these tests put too much pressure on students, causing anxiety and stress, and that the tests are not an accurate measure of a student's abilities.

There are also many individual educators who speak out against stakes testing. One such educator is Mark Naison, a professor at Fordham University in New York City. Naison is a vocal opponent of high-stakes testing, and believes that it limits creativity and critical thinking in the classroom. He argues that teachers should be given more freedom to design their own assessments, instead of being forced to rely on standardized tests.

In addition to these organizations and individuals, there are also many parent and community groups who are against high-stakes testing. These groups argue that these tests do not accurately measure a student's potential, and often result in negative consequences like reduced funding for schools that do not perform well on the tests.

Overall, there are many voices speaking out against stakes testing as an educational policy. These organizations and individuals argue that there are better ways to evaluate student learning, and that the negative consequences of high-stakes testing outweigh any potential benefits.