Against Standardized Testing

There seems to be a dilemma in the educational system. In order to

receive funding, a school system has to test its students annually.

These tests are supposed to measure the progress of the students and the

school system. But what is really measured with these scores? What do they

really mean? Should children be tested as frequently as they are? And most

importantly, should the ability to pass on to another grade or to graduate

from high school be based on only one test? With so many questions arising

from these tests, the answer is to take a stand against them.

Perhaps a brief history will provide a better understanding of the standardized

testing system. In the 1980’s, the National Governors Association

pushed for states to have performance-based accountability of their school

systems. Basically, states would grant schools more flexibility in what and

how they chose to teach in return for more accountability for academicbased

performance. In 1994, Title I, “the largest federally funded education

program” (http://www.doe.mass.edu), actually required that all states create

performance-based accountability systems for schools (Elmore 2). Now,

with the introduction of the Bush administration’s No Children Left

Behind, all states are required to annually test their students in order to

receive federal grants (Romano 1). In Bush’s attempt to make sure that our

schools are held to a high standard, he is threatening their funding based

on their students’ performance. Not only are students’ grade advancements

and sometimes graduations dependent upon these tests, but so is the funding

for their schools as well. Teachers can be dismissed or schools shut

down based on test performance. No pressure there, kids.

W...

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...ardized tests. Utah’s officials were willing to lose $76 million dollars in

funding by deciding not to follow federal testing standards (Quindlen 2). If

we take a stand, is your state ready to be next?

Works Cited

Elmore, Richard F. “Testing Trap.” Harvard Magazine. 11 November 2005. http://www.

harvardmagazine.com/print/090240html.

Massachusetts Department of Education. Massachusetts Government. 11 November 2005.

http://www.doe.mass.edu/

Quindlen, Anna. “Testing: One, Two, Three.” Newsweek. 19 June 2005. 4 November

2005. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8099819/site/newsweek/page/2/print/1/

displaymode/1098.

Romano, Lois. “Test Scores Move Little in Math, Reading. Improvement Appears Slight

Since No Child Left Behind.” 20 Oct. 2005. Washington Post. 1 November 2005.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/19/

AR2005101900708.