HIGH STAKES TESTING, SOCIO-ECONOMIC CLASS, AND TEST ANXIETY:
OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPACT
by Nathaniel Paul von der Embse
This research study examines critical differences in test anxiety and test climate between a high SES suburban district and a low SES urban district on a high stakes test. Researchers compared levels of test anxiety to the scores obtained on the Ohio Graduation Test (OGT) between the two schools. Three subscales, cognitive obstruction, tenseness and social derogation were also compared to the five subtests of the OGT. Results were analyzed using a t-test and a regression analysis to determine the amount of variance accounted for by SES and test anxiety. Results show no difference in test anxiety between schools, a negative correlation between anxiety and achievement and an amount of variance is scores is accounted for by test anxiety and SES. Practical solutions and implications for practice are suggested for educators and policy makers.