High-Stakes Testing and Mathematics Performance of Fourth Graders in North Cyprus

The authors attempted to determine the effects of a high-stakes standardized testing-driven instructional approach on mathematical performance. The authors developed a multiple-choice mathematics performance test for 1,006 Grade 4 students in 28 North Cyprus schools. Analysis revealed that students who spent more time on testtaking skills performed better, especially in routine mathematics items, than did students who spent less time on testtaking skills. There was no difference observed in test results from nonroutine story problems. However, analysis did indicate that spending too much time on test-taking skills led to memorizing procedures and cuing on surface attributes of a problem.