An unfortunate accident in Minnesota schools provided researchers with the opportunity
to study a group of students who had been informed of test failure. This study investigated the
socioemotional and behavioral reactions of students who were wrongly informed that they had
failed a high-stakes test in mathematics, the Minnesota Basic Standards Test. The survey was
conducted at the request of a legal firm involved in a class action lawsuit on behalf of nearly
High-Stakes Testing 4
8,000 Minnesota students1 who actually passed the test, but due to test scoring errors, received
failing scores and hence were notified that they had failed. This study examines a disturbingly
frequent event: mistaken notification of test failure (Rhoades & Madaus, 2003). The study also
provides information that may be relevant to the broader group of students who actually fail high
stakes tests.