Did you know that seventy percent of educators of a survey do not regard standardized tests are helpful to their students, and the students agree. Standardized testing began in the late 1800s when entrance exams were used with colleges, and when a French psychologist named Alfred Binet creates a standardized test for intelligence. His test becomes a basis for the modern I.Q. test. Later, standardized testing was moved toward the military to place soldiers in positions best suited for them. Finally, standardized tests came to the educational system in the early 1900s (History of Standardized Testing in the United States). It has continuously been perfected since then, except that there are still problems with the tests themselves and with the …show more content…
This process discriminates against minorities, including low-income families and special needs kids. When teachers narrow the curriculum for only the important standardized tests, students do not receive the information needed for further classes, college, or maybe even future standardized tests. Schools stay open when their test scores are at the standard persistently, and might close if they have a streak of sub-par test scores. With this to think about, teachers and other educators teach their students what will be on their standardized, state tests. This handicaps the students since they might need to know something not taught for a surprise test or a test in the future, like next year. If teachers do not teach the curriculum or past the curriculum, it might come back to haunt them. This becomes more visible with students who are part of low-income families. Low-income families do not have the same resources as middle class families, like not having parental guidance when both parents work more than one job or not using the vocabulary used on standardized tests, or tests in general. These students might not receive the proper study materials needed for school, even less for standardized tests. The students also may not use the same “street” vocabulary. An example of this is when one must find the word most similar with another word, like “cup” (Reese). Students with low-income families would choose “table” when the correct answer is “saucer” since they use tables, not saucers (Reese). This problem also affects special needs children. Special needs children have to take the same tests as average students even if they are incapable of completing in the allotted time limit for standardized tests, and might even be incapable to answer or read the questions. These students do not have the same mental capacity as the average, but still are
Students dread the time of the year when they stop with their course material and begin to prepare for test. Everyone is in agreement that some type of revolution is needed when it comes to education; eliminating standardized test will aid the reform. The need for standardized testing has proven to be ineffective and outdated; some leading educationalist also believe this because the tests do not measure a student’s true potential. This will save money, stop labeling, and alleviate stress in students and teachers.
Michele Obama once stated, “If my future were determined just by my performance on a standardized test, I wouldn 't be here. I guarantee you that.” The First Lady is, in other words, to say that standardized testing was a major factor into her life’s outcome and her scores could have potentially not put her in her position of power that she is highly recognized in today’s society. Although standardized tests do play a large role in any college application, standardized testing may not count as much toward one’s college admissions or success because standardized tests are not the only factor toward college applications, these tests only benefit a specific target group of people, and standardized tests are better used for giving insight on one’s
Standardized tests have been used to see how much a child has learned over a certain period of time. These tests have been a highly debated issue with many parents and just people in general. In the article “Opting out of standardized tests? Wrong answer,” the author Michelle Rhee argues that people should not be trying to opt out of standardized tests because it allows the country to see how much a child has learned and the things they need to improve. On the other hand, in the article “Everything You’ve Heard About Failing Schools Is Wrong,” the author Kristina Rizga argues that standardized tests are not an efficient way to measure a student’s intelligence.
Some may say standardized tests are a wonderful thing for schools to test their students but I'm here to tell you why they are bad. The standardized tests have too many problems that need to be changed. There is problems with how many are taken and they need to be fixed. There are too many problems with these tests and the government needs to modify them. So this essay will explain that standardized tests are bad and they need to be fixed, because kids take too many of them, countries who take less are outscoring us, and they are too low quality.
Standardized tests, such as the SAT and the SOL, have been implemented for many years now for individuals in grade school to take. The SOL’s, or Standards of Learning tests, are Virginia’s version of standardized tests that students are required to take in order to pass a class, evaluating their knowledge on a specific subject. SOL’s are mandatory for students to take as soon as they reach third grade. Additionally, the SAT is a test taken in the final years of high school that colleges look at when comparing students for post-secondary school. People concerned with student’s education can come to the common consensus that education is important and there should be some way to compare a student’s achievements to one another. However, the process
Standardized testing is not the best way to measure how well a teacher teaches or how much a student has learned. Schools throughout the United States put their main focus on standardized tests; these examinations put too much pressure on the teachers and students and cause traumatizing events. Standardized testing puts strain on teachers and students causing unhealthy occurrences, Common Core is thrown at teachers with no teaching on how to teach the new way which dampers testing scores for all students, and the American College Test determines whether a child gets into college or not based on what they have learned during high school. Standardized tests are disagreeable; tests should not determine ranking of people.
Throughout my educational career, I remember taking standardized exams since I was in second grade. My experience with the standardized test was never a pleasant one. At a certain point, I thought that it would hinder me from going on to the next grade, graduating high school and going to a college of my choice. I always felt that standardized test did not measure my actual intelligence and was frustrated with the concept that comparing students to others, by giving all students a basic multiple choice test, is enough to measure how well each child would do throughout the school. After I had started understanding the ranking system, I started doubting my ability to keep up with my peers, not just in my school but the state. The first exam that
Standardized testing is a down fall to many students but also an opportunity for many others. Standardized testing has its pros and its cons. It can be the make it or break it factor into getting into colleges you are hoping to attend or the scholarships you want to earn. Some people may have their opinions about the test, whether they hate it or not but the fact is that it’s here to stay.
The anxiety that gain control of some students is the reason why standardized testing has no reason to stay adrift in students’ lives. They don’t reward anything but the chance of cheating, teaching nothing but “brains”, and making our national scores drop harshly. Even the National Education Association, Institute for Democratic Education in America, and the American Evaluation Association are against the
One of the biggest topics in the educational world is standardized tests. All fifty states have their own standards following the common core curriculum. There are many positives and negatives that go with the standardized tests. A standardized test is any type of “examination that's administered and scored in a predetermined, standard manner” (Popham, 1999). These standardized tests are either aptitude tests or achievement tests. Schools use achievement tests to compare students.
Standardized testing is not an effective way to test the skills and abilities of today’s students. Standardized tests do not reveal what a student actually understands and learns, but instead only prove how well a student can do on a generic test. Schools have an obligation to prepare students for life, and with the power standardized tests have today, students are being cheated out of a proper, valuable education and forced to prepare and improve their test skills. Too much time, energy, and pressure to succeed are being devoted to standardized tests. Standardized testing, as it is being used presently, is a flawed way of testing the skills of today’s students.
The use of standardized testing in public schools was mandated in 2001 by George W. Bush's No Child Left Behind Act and is supported by the Obama administration. In recent years, it has triggered an expanding controversy against standardized tests and the use of students' scores to evaluate teachers, schools, districts, and states. Some individuals argue that standardized testing benefits students, teachers, and schools by ensuring that they are held accountable. The truth is standardized testing does not accurately reflect student’s abilities and is potentially hurting today’s students.
Combs 5: Getting an education is no longer enjoyable. Furthermore, crime charges have occurred in several states due to trying to break in and receive test booklets and answer keys to prepare for a standardized test. There is a point when testing becomes too much for one to bare and it causes outrageous actions by others. Additionally, many test administrators have also been found guilty of allowing students to cheat, or even giving them some answers to the test. This is another direct result of so much pressure being built up for a single test (Layton).
Standardized testing is used in countries as a means to assess students, teachers and schools. Controversies of standardized testing include test purpose, design, implementation and use of test results. Standardized testing in the United States deeply affects the students and the school education system. They are unreliable and there is minimal increase of student performance of these tests. It is more than just a test. It has become a direct impact on how someone's future will look. Tests like the SAT or ACT should be a low-stake test to only be looked at to see a student's academic progress. Standardized testing should be revised because of the negative impacts on schools, schools are already opting out of accepting and taking certain tests, and the money aspect has affected everyone at the schools.
He once said,”Standardizes tests are too crude to be used, and should be abandoned.” When even the inventor of such awful tests, agrees publically that they are awful, the school system is just blind by continuing to use them and be so reliant on the test scores. Students have different gifts, needs, thoughts, and dreams that all should be