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Arguments Against Standardized Testing

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Theoretical Physicist Albert Einstein once said, “Everybody is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” This reflects the mind set of many people who believe that standardized tests in the United States are nothing more than unfair competitions. Standardized tests have been a fundamental part of American education systems for the past two centuries. Following the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2002, the use of standardized testing skyrocketed, mandating yearly testing in all 50 states. Studies conducted by the Council of Great City Schools have found that a usual American student takes 112 mandated tests, beginning in pre-kindergarten and continuing on until …show more content…

First and foremost, standardized testing permits learners located in several schools, regions, and states to be evaluated in comparison to one another. Comparison amongst students would not be possible without standardized tests. Perhaps the ultimate advantage of standardized testing is that schools and teachers are liable for educating students on the material required for standardized tests. This is principally due to the scores becoming publicly recorded, leading to the evaluation and possible termination of instructors and institutions that do not perform up to par. Standardized tests act as a curricular guide for teachers, helping them to determine what to teach their students and the appropriate times to teach them. This reduces wasted teaching time and streamlines timeline management. Standardized tests provide guardians with a firm idea of how their child is doing as compared to other students locally and nationally. This is utilized to indicate how a particular area is performing compared to the residual nationwide landscape. Results of these evaluations provide schools with information to create the appropriate programs and services that focus on improving test scores within the compared sub-groups. These few are among the many reasons why people believe in the value of standardized testing; it allows all students of varying learning styles to be tested on equivalent material. Teachers are encouraged to teach particular material pertaining to these tests and the results assist the educator in identifying what subjects need improvement. Thus, standardized testing is a step toward improving education

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