A Critical Analysis of Grade 3 Testing in Ontario

The recent re-introduction ofprovince-wide group achievement testing in Ontario has placed new demands, challenges, and some stresses on students, parents, and teachers. As consultants, school psychologists are in a position to meet these challenges because of their advanced knowledge about standardized testing and their knowledge of what can be reasonably expected from students based on the students ' cognitive development. This paper uses multiple perspectives to evaluate the Grade 3 Assessment, with the main focus on the degree to which the items reflect current curriculum guidelines. We also examine whether the demands placed on the children are consistent with what we know about the cognitive development of8-9 year-old-children. Although the Grade 3 Assessment is based on the Ontario Curriculum (1997), many items exceed what should be expected from a typical Grade 3 student when children's cognition is considered. Given the political implications of province-wide testing, tests need to be impeccably constructed. This analysis is intended to provide school psychologists with a framework for disseminating information about the value and limitations of the Grade