External Examinations and Accountability, Educational Expectations, and High School Graduation

This study explores whether state testing policies were related to differences in students’ likelihood of earning a high school diploma. The study also explores whether there is variation in the association of high school graduation with students’ backgrounds and expectations. It was found that the relationship between students’ likelihood of graduating from high school and their background, aspirations and teacher expectations varied among states with different practices. However, there was a strong positive association between the extensiveness of state-mandated testing and high school graduation rates.