Latinos and Testing

Assessment refers to a broad range of procedures used by educators to collect information, from which inferences are drawn about a student’s knowledge, understanding, skills, or abilities. Assessment may be undertaken to improve student learning, to judge student performance, or to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational system. Ideally, the information or data derived from assessment is used to promote equity in learning, assessment, and educational opportunity.

This entry focuses on the impact of assessment, particularly high-stakes testing, on Latino students. It starts with an overview of the demographic characteristics of Latinos, followed by an explanation of assessment and testing. Next, the implications of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 are discussed, highlighting how its high-stakes testing legacy has impacted Latino youth.