This article presents a cross-case analysis of two fourth-grade teachers' instruction while preparing their students for an English language arts test. Both teachers taught in high-needs urban public schools and were identified as effective teachers of balanced literacy through a multiple nomination process. This article uses situated literacy theory to consider the research question, How did the localized contexts influence both teachers' instruction during test prep? The author focuses on the theme of standardization, which emerged from the cross-case analysis, and presents findings in four categories: (a) classroom conditions, (b) test materials, (c) test administration, and (d) test results. Findings show key distinctions in the localized contexts that directly influenced both teachers' test prep. These distinctions challenge the construct of standardization that constitutes high-stakes tests and provide a far more complex view of school contexts that terms such as “urban, high-needs” conflate, with implications for research and policy.
