Writing: An Unexamined Gatekeeper

By Ardith Davis Cole

“Kids just aren’t learning like they used to. Have you seen those test results?” I hear this sentiment expressed by people everywhere, and often feel compelled to respond, “But tests are far more difficult now. They’re not just multiple-choice anymore. Today, they include writing .”

Everyone seems surprised to learn that our high-stakes assessments now include writing. Most say that multiple-choice tests are easier than written-response ones. They’d rather select a response than construct one.

Yet some states now include written-response items on every test—in reading, science, even math. And some of the writing tasks are lengthy and complex. This inclusion may present a significant variable, one that influences student performance and test scores. That’s how writing has become a gatekeeper for student promotion and graduation, as well as for schools’ “adequate yearly...