What characterizes a high-stakes assessment, like state-mandated testing?

High-stakes assessments, such as state-mandated testing, are characterized as formal summative assessments. These assessments are designed to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit or course and are often used to make significant decisions about students, teachers, and schools. For instance, they can influence graduation eligibility, funding allocations, or teacher evaluations.

Formal assessments are structured and standardized, ensuring that they yield reliable data that can be used to make critical decisions regarding educational programs and policies. Summative assessments specifically report on what students have learned and provide a snapshot of their educational progress at a particular point in time. In contrast, informal assessments typically do not carry the same weight and are often used to guide instruction rather than to determine high-stakes consequences. Therefore, characterizing high-stakes assessments as formal summative assessments highlights their rigorous design and importance in the educational landscape.