Standardized Testing Has Made A Huge Impact Not Only On Our Educational System

Currently, standardized tests do not improve the education of students in America. Standardized testing is not an accurate measure of student’s knowledge because they are designed to test an extremely broad amount of students who do not have the same educational background. This makes it incredibly difficult to test students across the world on the same level and expect their scores to reflect their education. Standardized testing, by definition, is any test containing the same questions that is administered to a vast group of people for the purpose of comparing different student’s test scores. This issue is important because it affects the entire academic community, positively and negatively. Therefore, all teachers, students, school staff, and test administrators have some involvement with standardized testing. The vast majority of people in America have taken a standardized test sometime in their life, which makes these tests vital in the

After the No-Child-Left-Behind (NCLB) bill was introduced by the Bush administration in 2001, the use of standardized tests skyrocketed because all schools in the country were required to assess students using these tests to evaluate the student, teacher and school’s performance. A standardized test is any examination that is administered and scored in a predetermined, standard manner (Popham 8). The use of these tests have not improved education in the United States because teachers teach to the test, which means that they only focus on what is going to be on the exam and do not spend time on other material; tests like the SAT which evaluate the student solely on the outcome of the test and upon the score the student is placed where “appropriate”; and that one assessment is not enough to evaluate students, teachers, principals

Ever since standardized testing started being used as a way to evaluate the intelligence of students and the teachers’ ability to educate, the standard of actual education has been diminished immensely. Standardized testing is used in most public and private schools to analyze students’ knowledge. It has affected the way in which students learn and has corrupted the methods teachers use to educate. In some cases, English-Learning and disabled students face discrimination from teachers since teachers have more responsibility to have a high number of passing students. Some countries around the world don’t use standardized tests to rank their students or schools and yet they have been successful. Standardized tests are not efficient on making students learn, they should not be used to evaluate students’ knowledge.

Microaggressions can be any commonplace comments that are intended or not, to offend another person. However, one might think individuals would be aware if they inherently said something offensive. Microaggressions are even apparent in standardized testing and academia as test writers and teachers can unintentionally degrade students with a seemingly innocent statement. Standardized tests are allegedly supposed to test student’s knowledge of what they have learned or previously known. The tests also reflect the academic progress of the school to determine the quality of education that the school provides. Standardized tests seem to be an unbiased way of determining skill, but the tests do not take into account student’s home lives, as well

Since the passage of the No Child Left Behind law in 2002, standardized testing has been at the center of attention in the educational system. Several schools and teachers have been forced to drill children on the information they will be tested on. Teachers are forced to demonstrate other important topics in order to teach test material. Similar to majority of tests provided in the school system, standardized test have both pros and cons. Generally speaking, standardized testing is a great way to determine a baseline for a child. As Miller (2016) indicated, tests have a multitude of benefits, which include student enthusiasm, peer learning, self-improvement and retention, transfer of learning, student self-assessment, and teacher instructional guidance. Teachers are able to use the data from the standardized tests to build an entire academic plan around the results. Additionally, students and parents are able to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each child in order to determine the next steps needed to help bridge any gaps within their academic studies.

Some Texas lawmakers are trying to lower the number of standardized tests, let schools pick the test providers to create more competition in the testing market, get rid of the evaluation of teachers by the STAAR scores, and lower the burden of the A-F rating of the STAAR test. Last year there were several problems with the STAAR tests, so much that the company had to pay a $5.7 million fine. When Texas has 17 tests between 3rd through 12th grade, it is about time that it starts to lower the number of tests on students especially young students (Brandeis).

Standardized tests are completely unfair. In The Washington Post, Marion Brady argues this issue. She states that students that do not speak English or have special needs take the same tests as every other student. Also, non English speakers are taking these tests without mastering the language first. Special needs students

The Texas state exams have strengthen students educations level and also prepare them for higher-level courses. This has helped the system a lot but it’s also have some disadvantages. Providing these exams is unfair to any children with a disabilities or a disadvantage in learning abilities. One major milestone for Texas public school system in this issue was the No Child Left Behind Act. In 2001, President George W. Bush, former Texas governor, signs The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 proposes to close the achievement gap using accountability measures (Jones). This provide all children with a fair and equal opportunity in school education. This have further reformed the system and helped out any children in

Whether they have just started to learn English, are developmentally disabled, of a minority, or of low socioeconomic class, students will take the same test as a middle-class White student, who has spoken English all of their life. If it does not sound fair, that is because it is not. Testing should be done in a student’s native language, and tailored to their developmental level. While it is not economical, this would most likely raise states AYP rates

Students are overwhelmed with school, work, extra-curricular activities, family, etc. Perhaps standardized tests are a major contributor to students’ stress. A standardized test is any test scored in a consistent manner and requires test-takers to answer identical questions. Among the most common include the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and the American College Test (ACT). According to the article “Standardized Testing Has Negatively Impacted Public Schools” from Opposing Viewpoints in Context, the beginnings of standardized tests occurred during World War I when the American Psychological Association developed a “ground-administered test” to eliminate inefficient recruits (Solley 3). Today, standardized tests are necessary for college admission. Just last month, in March of 2016, College Board, the non-profit organization responsible for administering the SAT, altered the format of the test. It is now formatted more similar to the ACT and includes an optional essay reducing the score from 2400 to 1600. Many advocates argue standardized tests accurately measure academic intelligence and hold teachers and schools accountable. In today’s society, standardized tests have become the norm, and unfortunately, people overlook their negative effects despite research substantiating arguments about their disadvantages. Standardized tests are disadvantageous because they hinder education and contain bias.

Education has been an important part of society for centuries. Over the years it has slowly evolved into what it is today. The topic of education has been controversial since the beginning. It seems as though there is always someone that sees a need for change in how students are being taught and assessed. More specifically, many people think that standardized testing is not an effective way to assess students. While on the other hand, many also believe that standardized testing is the most efficient and effective way to assess people of all ages. The debate over standardized testing has been shown to effect students and the community in many different ways. Standardized assessments have had huge impacts with both teachers and students. Whether one thinks standardized testing is effective and efficient or misdirecting and unproductive it is a big part of the educational system. While the argument may present that standardized tests leads to simulated knowledge, others argue that standardized tests are very effective in assessing students.

Another contributing factor that later laid the ground work for NCLB to follow was the Texas Educational Accountability System enacted during the 1980’s. This was the first time the use of standardized tests were used to evaluate teachers and keep them accountable for how their students preformed. This Act came from President George Bush’s home state when he was governor and he later used these ideas to create No Child Left Behind with the help of his Secretary of Education, Margaret spellings.

If some people get out of state testing,then everyone else shouldn't take it. First, some students don’t even take state tests. So it isn't fair for the people who do take it. Students spend a week doing state testing, while all the other people get to get out of it, and do something else. Next, if students are gonna take state testing, all students have to do it and not just get out of it. The only people who should get out of state testing are the students who don't speak english fluently. The students who get out of taking the state tests probably do something that has nothing to do with state testing. That shows that if students should not get out of state testing if they are gonna have state tests. (http://worklife.columbia.edu/files_worklife/public/Pros_and_Cons_of_Standardized_Testing_1.pdf)

College admissions are crucial a student’s senior year of high school. There are many requirements that need to be satisfied in order to qualify for admissions at certain schools, as well as the checklist to apply to each school. Hopefully, as a junior the student prepared by taking the SAT/ACT, and visiting at least a handful of potential colleges. By the start of senior year, the student must complete a separate application for each college which is quite tedious, then submit high school transcripts, shot records, admission essay(s), and SAT/ACT scores. Although it may be optional additional letters of recommendation and proof of volunteer work should be submitted as an extra precaution. These things show the college more about the individual,

There are not many advantages for English language learners whereas standardized testing is concerned. Teachers will have to create individualized ways in monitoring students’ progress to gain true assessment results.