What Are The Pros And Cons Of Standardized Testing

Standardized Testing Standardized test have had their share of controversy throughout the years. They are a highly controversial and a well debated topic. There are many people who believe that the tests provide an accurate measurement of student performance and the effectiveness of the teacher. But others believe that a single test on a single day cannot consistently determine these things and that the practice of these tests are extremely overused. So the question is, does standardized testing help teach us the material that we need to further our education? Standardized tests have caused problems for America’s children; some do amazing on those tests and then there are some who do terrible because of stress and not being prepared

These tests were built upon a rigid eight legged essay format, testing applicants of the memorized knowledge of Confucian philosophy. In the Western World, the Industrial Revolution had ushered in a movement to return school-age farmhands and factory workers back to the classroom. At that time they used the standardized examinations to the newly expanded student body to be tested efficiently. By the mid-1800’s, Boston school reformers Samuel Gridley Howe and Horace Mann, introduced standardized testing to Boston schools. The two men based their efforts off the centralized Prussian school system. These new tests were arranged to provide judgement and comparison of the outputs of each school and to collect objective information about the teaching qualities of the schools. The program Boston had created was soon adopted by school systems

Some have negative comments and then there are some who think that the tests have positive results. One positive result is that these standardized tests gives teachers guidance to help them determine what to teach the students and when to teach it. Some seem to think that the tests are reliable and objective measures of a student 's achievements. Without them, policy makers would have to rely on tests scored by individual schools and teachers who have vested interest in producing favorable results. Standardized tests show comparison between schools, districts, and states accurately. Some proponents of the tests say that the tests provide comparison between sub-groups. These groups can include on socioeconomic status, ethnicity, specials needs, etc. This provides the schools with data to develop programs and services directed at cultivating the scores in these sub-groups. Another positive result of these exams is that parents get see how well their child is doing in those courses compared to other children across the