Consequential Validity of Accountability Policy

Abstract

Educational accountability policy rests heavily on the assessments used to influence teaching, learning, and school improvement. A long-debated aspect of assessment use, consequential validity, plays an important role in public interpretation of assessment use whether for individual students or for state policy. The purpose of this survey study was to explore stakeholders’ perceptions of the variety of tests used in classrooms and schools, especially how testing is used to improve teaching and learning. Results indicated that the majority of stakeholders do not value state assessments and do not see the assessments as useful in the teaching and learning process. However, a proportion of minority respondents were optimistic that state assessments have potential for school improvement.