The Testing “Plateau Effect”

This study sponsored by the U.S. Center on Education Policy  looks at the ‘plateau effect’ seen in large-scale accountability testing.  This effect can be described that after the first year or two of testing, teachers may “teach to the test” so that students gain practice with the same format and scores shoot up.   If nothing else significantly changes, such as improving instructional methods, there are no more gains, scores level off and the dreaded plateau is achieved.

Of the 55 testing trend lines for reading and math tests that the researchers examined, only 15 showed the plateau effect. The rest had a variety of patterns. When there were “high-stakes” policies present (such as No Child Left Behind) in addition to the testing, the achievement results were better. 

One other finding may explain what is happening here in Ontario with our own dreaded plateau:

States also alter tests when they revise their content standards, make their tests more
or less difficult, or move to different testing formats. It may well be that by the time a state
would start to show a plateau effect, it changes its tests.

Considering Ontario results had reached a plateau long ago, hmm…

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