African-American Students Struggle on Ohio's High-Stakes Test‪.‬

Instruction affects students' attitudes toward, and beliefs about, their abilities to do mathematics; likewise students' attitudes influence mathematics instruction (McLeod, 1992). Students must learn to value mathematics and become confident in their ability to do mathematics (NCTM, 1989, 2000). A pressing issue facing the mathematics education community today is how to insure students pass high-stakes tests in order to receive a high school diploma. The American Federation of Teachers (2001) indicated that 28 states currently have examinations as a requirement for high school graduation, up from twenty-five in 2000. The number of states in the process of developing examinations that will be required for high school graduation is expected to increase to 29 by 2003 (Shore, Madaus & Clarke, 2000). The American Federation of Teachers (2001) reported that, of the 28 states, fourteen now set graduation-test standards at the tenth-grade level or higher and use these standards to hold students back a grade, withhold students' diplomas, or to punish teachers, principals, and schools that perform poorly. Despite mounting concerns about the high-stakes mathematics test performance of United States students, schools continue to employ a variety of untested and unproven practices and tools (e.g., textbooks, computer programs, and methods) which are said to be "innovative" (Carnine, 1995; Marshall, 1993; Stone, 1996). A number of studies have examined the unintended consequences (e.g., no diploma, and no graduation) of high-stakes tests (Firestone, Goertz & Natriello, 1997; Fisher, Roach & Kearns, 1998; Pritchard, 1998; Wolf, 1998). Because of these unintended consequences, it is important to examine how students are prepared for high-stakes tests. Further, it is the case that certain underrepresented groups' score disproportionately lower than their white male counterparts. In this study African-American students will be participants as they were overrepresented in the poor performance category (Natriello & Pallas, 1999; Heubert, 1998). The shortcomings of numerous interventions and misguided practices merit the creation of a space for students. It is not an acceptable practice the scant attention paid to students' voices given their role as the primary clientele in K-12 schools. If the programs, practices, and policies rendered within the frame work of schools are delivered with students' best interests in mind, we must ask why their voices are not heard. Perhaps educators in general, and mathematics educators in particular, should ask vital questions such as: "How are students prepared for the mathematics portion of a high-stakes test?" and "What do students suggest to improve the process?" This paper discusses the student perspective of the mathematics preparation process involved in a high-stakes test situation, as well as some suggestions for improvements by three African-American students. Conceptual Framework