Were you nervous taking the OSSLT last year? Bet you were! OSSLT is one of the standardized tests that Ontario students are required to take. The aim of these tests is to measure students’ learning abilities. Numerous studies have shown that standardized tests are unreliable measures of students’ academic performance. Therefore, as a student, I am against standardized testing.
These tests are often unfair for ESL or special needs students. Many schools do not offer the necessary support these students may need to help them when writing these tests. Not only are these tests unfair, but also they cost the governments a great deal of money. They must hire people to mark the tests, pay for technology, and pay test administrator to come up with questions. Though this is not in Canada, an estimated $88 million was spent on testing students, in Texas.
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As we are only tested once without regard to our condition at the time. For instance, testing anxiety could negatively impact a student's scores. This certainly does not reflect people’s abilities to learn. Our physical conditions would also impact our scores. If a student is coming down with a cold or unwell the day of the test then surely their test marks would not be accurate reflections of their skills. Even people's emotional states would impact the way they score.
Furthermore, standardized tests only look at a small portion of the education system. Many parents are willing to pay large sums in order to ensure that their child/children attend better schools. This may result in an influx of wealthy or more educated people into one area; creating inequality as the “good” only gets