Testing capitalism: Perpetuating privilege behind the masks of merit and objectivity
Keywords:
capitalism, high-stakes testing, accountability, democracy, United StatesAbstract
The accountability paradigm for reforming public schools began in the
U.S. as a state-based initiative grounded in establishing state standards
for core content and developing high-stakes tests and schedules to hold
schools, teachers, and students accountable (Hout and Elliott, 2011).
This essay examines the test-based patterns of that paradigm over the
past thirty years by confronting testing as a mechanism of surveillance
(Foucault, 1984) and then examining the accountability era in South
Carolina as an example of the power and failure of accountability based
on tests. Tests remain powerful, I contend, because they reinforce the
investment-and-return vernacular that reflects and reinforces Americans’
faith in capitalism over democracy.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
The International Education Journal: Comparative Perspectives is the official journal of the Oceania Comparative and International Education Society. The IEJ, (ISSN 1443-1475), publishes a general volume bi-annually in July and December and also publishes Special Editions occasionally. It is a free, open-access scholarly journal, managed by volunteers. There are no article processing charges, or any charges to authors.
In relation to intellectual property, as of 2020, the IEJ: CP claims only first publication rights; copyright of all work published in the journal remains with the authors under Creative Commons copyright license CC-BY-ND (4.0). Author(s) retain all rights to their works, ensuring that reference to the International Education Journal: Comparative Perspectives is clearly stated on any copies made or distribution. Submissions must not involve third parties with a claim to copyright, and be the sole work of the author(s). It is the responsibility of the author(s) to secure permission to reproduce photographs, illustrations, figures or tables. Single images, tables or figures can be re-used . If more than a single image or table are to be re-used authors must attribute first publication to IEJ: CP notify the IEJ: CP Editor. Authors may also make derivative works which are subject to these limitations.
See https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/ for more detail.
Re-distributed or used material must be referenced to the International Education Journal: Comparative Perspectives.