Arguments Against Standardized Testing In Schools

Many students throughout the American education system struggle due to the fact that they have to take a standardized test. But, this struggle differs for each student, some are too lazy to take them while others are having difficulty performing well on these tests. As a student who learned English as a second language, I could relate with the people who are having trouble performing well on standardized tests. When I was in high school there was nothing more frightening than Standardized tests. There was a lot of emphasize on these tests and they had the power to determine my future in the means of deciding which colleges I could attend. But, I wasn’t alone in this matter, not all students perform to their potential on Standardized tests. No matter how hard I tried to study for these tests, I was just not doing as well as my class mates. It made me feel like I was beneath all my other class mates and I thought they were intellectually superior. But, I met other like me who were not good at taking test and didn’t perform well on these

Our children are the most important resource in this Country. Our way of life could forever change, by the changes that are put into our schools by the federal government. The decline in meaningful learning because of the many standardized tests mandated, first accepted into our state from the federal government, which can degrade the lifestyle we enjoy today. “Standardized Tests measure only a small portion of what makes education meaningful”, and they are taking too much out of the learning time. This is detrimental to our children’s Education. Retired teachers and grandparents in a group called United Women’s Forum, meet every week. They are working to improve civic issues regarding the Education of our children. There is need for more

Overall, my thesis is superior to these opposing sources as it lacks logical fallacies. While these sources made good points, they contained sweeping generalizations, hasty conclusions, circular reasoning, and other logical fallacies that nullify the validity of their arguments.

I believe that America should cut standardized test funding by half, and furthermore decrease the number of tests the average student takes. Every generation is different, and the way they are taught is different to the point where not one thing is the same in any way. Before the 1900’s there were no standardized tests, but then by World War I standardized testing became standard for every student (Blasi, 2005). In the span of 50 years, multiple generations were born and they were raised on the seemingly new idea of standardized testing. These generations included veterans, slaves, and people who fought other Americans from different belief systems, so people can understand the skepticism I may have when I ask, was it right to implement

Like most things in academics, I just knew that the standardized test were just donkey manure and additional gatekeepers to the system. Sure there are waivers, but the fact that you have to pay for them, especially for something because college requires is foolish. Should you be applauded for doing well on them? Most definitely. But it’s like having to pay and being required to take a swimming test, which can only test how well you can swim, how fast, and how many form. But if you’re not a swimmer but a basketballer or a footballer or whatever your gift is, then you’ll be penalized for not performing as well. The point is, we’re inadequately being tested on forms that do not measure all correctly and yet have been indoctrinated in the same system or requirements that was only adopted in the 1960’s when the University of California system signed on to it. Furthermore, standardized tests like the SAT/ACT is more of a measurement of class than anything else. As of this writing, I come to find that many more colleges have dropped that requirement, but still, the fact that so many students spend so much wasted time paying and studying for it, like I did, makes me shake my head. I knew that I had to play the game, or get left behind. I knew the game wasn’t about my

As the years go by, there are many changes within our country’s educational system. However, standardized testing is still a requirement for students and must be eradicated once and for all. Now, of course there needs to be a bridge between grade levels. The answer is simply letting kids communicate their answers through creativity. The fear of shading in a instead of b would finally be over if students were able to show what they know in alternative ways. Whether it’s artistic or verbal, the outcomes would be more positive than negative. A solution that solves one of the many problems in the United States education system would have to be eliminating standardized testing because it would provide a more efficient learning environment by focusing on learning rather than testing, it allows more students to further their education, and it results in less pressure for everyone.

As a graduate student in a doctoral program, I have a fair share of standardized testing experience. Never have I been exceptionally great on standardized tests but have always willed myself to reach whatever benchmark I was challenged to accomplish. Coming from a home where Spanish was the first language and my parents barely had more than a middle-school level education, I had to discover ways to overcome academic and testing difficulties. Statistically, it is well documented that many of our country’s diverse learners have trouble positively representing themselves on standardized tests for a plethora of reasons; I can attest to this from first hand experience. From language barriers that cause deficiencies in vocabulary development to deficient levels of formal education in the homes, the barriers often compound to enormous heights for children from low-socioeconomic statuses and/or those where English is a second language within the home. Regardless of these facts, testing will continuously remain to be an accountability system that is vital in education. Although, in education we often fall short by using tests and data as the ultimate answer when it can be used for so much more. Through technology and assessment, the ability to pinpoint every single deficiency that student’s have is completely possible. Rather than using testing as the answer, educators must become better at understanding how to use testing as a tool. Furthermore, when stronger testing platforms and protocols can be created and implemented, the more our educational

Standardized testing first began in the mid 1800s, testing the amount of knowledge that a student knows when it comes to the three main subjects:; math, science and history. The question is whether or not standardized testing accurately tests the knowledge of the student and is beneficial to the school system. Both sides provide a lot of evidence stating why standardized tests do or do not provide what the school system needs or wants. Those for standardized testing argue that testing is the only cheap and effective way to evaluate students and their knowledge. They argue that the tests give them a way to evaluate teachers and how well students are being taught. Those on the other side of the spectrum argue that standardized testing overall

emphasis has been placed on testing, and a majority also said the best way to measure the success

Education is saturated with standardized testing. Standardized testing is throughout your whole educational career, starting with the MAP test and ending with an ACT or SAT test. The curriculum in the classroom is molded to fit test taken by each student while teachers teach to the test. According to Council of Great City Schools, “as of 2016, the average student in America takes a staggering 112 mandatory standardized tests before graduating high school.” Standardized testing is defined as same test student take under similar conditions with criteria for multiple choice or short answer questions. College are examining on test score to decide student’s future in education. “Unfortunately we cannot accept you due to your lack of testing ability” is the last thing any college student wants to hear. High School students, who already have responsible for choosing a college, a career, and focussing on school work, have to focus on one more thing that should not even be factored to college, standardized test like the ACT or SAT. If you score high enough on the MAP test, you have opportunities to achieve in advanced classes in future classes that could help for college. If

In most of the countries students are expected to take standardized exams before completing their high school education. In America, students take ACT, a standardized exam which measures students’ ability to move forward for college. They generally tests students on their knowledge in English, Math, and Science. Each section has its own points, and the overall score is the average score of all sections. But are standardized exams really standardized? And can it measure every student’s ability correctly? I argue that standardized exams are not really standardized and it is not fair to every student who is taking these tests. The main reasons which make standardized tests unstandardized and unfair are the improper distribution of content, purely

Although the aforementioned statement is specifically about social studies, analogous comparisons can be made regarding the significance of the other subjects. For instance, the disregard of science in school standardized tests may detract from a student’s sense of curiosity or awareness and ability to discover new information. Correspondingly, neglecting the artistic portion of school testing could take away from student creativity, inventive thinking, and cultural awareness (Bryant). In other words, when standardized tests overlook supplementary areas of knowledge, it narrows the focus on the specific subjects or contents that are covered and consequently limits the test taker’s potential gain in individual understanding. Anya Kamenetz,

Working in an elementary school, I hear constant complaining from both parents and teachers about the state's standardized testing. Parents yell that the educators teach to the test and the kids need so much more. Many say that the test has taken the fun out of learning and put too much pressure on students to perform. Teachers complain about the unfair way they are judged based on student performance. And they are unhappy that schools are compared within and outside the district with other schools that don't have a similar population. But the saddest thing about testing for me is the look on the students' faces when they're given another "testing passage" to read, even if they have showed mastery on the skills time after time. Or the

“We are raising today's children in sterile, risk-averse and highly structured environments. In so doing, we are failing to cultivate artists, pioneers and entrepreneurs, and instead cultivating a generation of children who can follow the rules in organized sports games, sit for hours in front of screens and mark bubbles on standardized tests.” (Darell Hammond) Standardized testing, or better known to us Virginias as SOL’s, is repressing knowledge of the students and degrading the effectiveness of an educator. Only basic, random learning is taking place, training kids to only want to learn what they are being testing on. No one is able to have an interest in anything except what is in the curriculum. Certain people that are not aware of hard work and dedication are making tests that aren’t even relevant to the interest or understanding of the student. The tests are not even clarifying enough to make simple to teach. There are so many discrepancies, we are not even educated enough to know the simple purpose of why is it mandatory we are tested. Standardized tests are not in the best interest of the student neither enhancing the education of the student, giving ambition to learn in depth, are clear enough to cover the material, and nor is anyone observing the children to understand why it is so highly unfavored.

Most of today’s generation will say that they remember the standardized tests that they had to take almost yearly in high school. Some say it was nerve-racking and difficult. While others say that it is not as bad as it is made out to seem. Regardless mostly everyone that has went through all four years of high school has taken a standardized test. These tests are used in Schools to measure the increase or decrease in student’s academic growth. After the tests have been taken teachers and administration can see what they are doing right or wrong in specific areas of subjects. The scores on these tests also account for the amount of funding that the public schools will get for the following year. One major test that effects mostly everyone moving on to college after high school is the ACT or SAT exam. A good score on this exam could make a huge difference for your future. For example, if a student scores a 25 or above on the ACT then they are able to go to Triton College tuition free. Some colleges will not accept a student solely based on their ACT score. All standardized tests can cause both bad and good things for a student’s future or the way they are taught in years to come.