Challenges and problems for research in the field of statewide exams. A stock taking of differing procedures and standardization levels

Statewide exit examinations play an important role in discussions on school effectiveness. Referring to educational governance concepts, this paper presumes a relation between varying organizational structures of statewide examinations across states, and heterogeneous effects on school actors. It is assumed that their ability to affect work in schools depends on how standardized their procedures are. Therefore, their structural elements must be juxtaposed, and their standardization level must be identified. This paper describes the results of a comparative review of statewide exit examinations using the example of 16 OECD-states alongside the categories Historical Context, Organizational Framework, Marking, and Handling of Results, and discusses the examinations regarding their overall standardization. The study is a basis for further research into how differently structured exit examinations affect school work.

► Statewide exit exams are often assumed to support school improvement.
► Differences in exam procedures are usually neglected in research.
► We compare the procedures of statewide exit exams in 16 states.
► The exams differ largely with regard to the standardization level of procedures.
► It is questionable whether all exams are equally able to promote school improvement.