High-Stakes Standardized Testing and Marginalized Youth: An Examination of the Impact on Those Who Fail (Report‪)‬

Abstract This study examines the impact of high-stakes, large-scale, standardized literacy testing on youth who have failed the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test. Interviews with youth indicate that the unintended impact of high-stakes testing is more problematic than policy makers and educators may realize. In contrast to literacy policy's aims to help promote the "well-being" of all learners and "equity" within the educational system, youth attest to feeling "shame" and show further marginalization due to this testing mechanism. These findings suggest that it is necessary to broaden the dialogue about the impact of high-stakes standardized literacy testing and its effects.