No benefit from test data

This research summary from Hechinger is likely to get a lot of attention and a lot of different interpretations. The review of multiple studies asked the question what was the value of educators reviewing data from standardized tests evaluating student academic performance. Did student performance improve as a consequence? The composite answer from the studies investigating this question was no. This same conclusion was even evident in controlled studies that compared the results from experimental studies with a treatment and control group (exposure to data on student performance was assigned).

Here is my prediction. Some will argue this outcome shows that standardized testing has no benefit and should be abandoned. The researchers offer a different interpretation concluding that while educators did learn more about the struggles of their students they made no changes in how these students were being taught. Why adjustments are not made was not investigated and would now seem to be the next target for researchers. Does the classroom environment lack flexibility? Are teachers lacking strategies that could be used as alternatives to existing approaches?