Standardized tests have been around for years in the United States. What's different now is that schools and teachers are being held accountable for the results of these tests. Add to that new federal legislation, and the stakes are raised even higher, with threats of federal funding being cut off to underachieving school districts. Then there is the question of how and what the children are being tested on. Producer Katie Gott follows the paths of two failing schools, one in Maryland and the other in Virginia, to understand how each state applies its testing policy, and how testing impacts schools, teachers, parents and children. What happens if these schools don't make the grade after the scores are in?

The Soundprint documentary series features the best work of top radio producers. The award winning documentaries are renowned for drawing the listener into the story with compelling interviews, authentic voices and rich sound. From memoirs to science, health and popular culture, Soundprint creates a powerful experience the listener will not soon forget. “The High Stakes of Today’s Testing” is part of a Soundprint miniseries called The Education Connection, supported in part by the U.S. Department of Education. The series examines the early introduction of technology into the classroom. Here are some other documentaries in the series:

“After Graduation: Meeting Special Needs” Produced by Alyne Ellis

“Building Blocks” Produced by: Judith Kampfner

“Classroom Cool: Training Teachers to Use Technology” Produced by William Drummond

“Click Here for College” Produced by: Richard Paul

“Digital Equity” Produced by: Kathy Baron

“Magic Box” Produced by: Richard Paul

“Sneak Out” Produced by: Kathy Baron

“Web of Letters” Produced by: Gemma Hooley

Soundprint Executive Producer: Moira Rankin

Technical Director: Anna Maria de Freitas

Managing Producer: Sesh Kannan

Field Producer: Katie Gott

Audio Engineer: Jared Weissbrot

Production Assistant: Anu Yadav