Anas Kashif
Mr. Hart
English Composition II
14 October 2017
A Reform in Standardized Testing Has the creation of standardized testing fulfilled its intended goal? In the society we reside in, a student’s competency and future success is projected through a rigorous examination procedure, commonly known as standardized tests. Despite signifying an integral part of one’s education, they can equally represent a source of concern and uncertainty. From the lands of Australia to the coasts of America, the practice of examining students through mandatory annual tests has risen in the present day. As a student myself, and having a significant experience with nationalized tests, I desired to gain answers about an unchanged method which supposedly tests
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The reading passages are three levels above the child's current grade level” (CNN.com). The article from CNN provides a clear example of a parent who is gradually losing trust in standardized testing. My position is not of an expert, but rather of a concerned student who has taken various examinations throughout primary as well as secondary grade levels. Oftentimes after completing my exam, I wondered whether it is fair for students who exhibit a strong interest in writing or painting to take the same test as students who have interests in math or science. Standardized tests are examinations administered to all students in a grade level in a predetermined, standard manner. Over the years, the different types of nationalized tests have grown significantly, including the American College Test (ACT), Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), and Preliminary SAT (PSAT). After the establishment of the No Child Left Behind Act by President George W. Bush in January 2002, which promoted the use of standardized tests, the country consistently experienced a decline in student …show more content…
After New York City’s reading and math scores plummeted in 2010, a large number of schools imposed extra measures to avoid being closed down, including daily two and half hour preparatory sessions and test practice on vacation days (procon.org) With tests increasing in difficulty and length, some schools spend more than quarter of the academic instruction period, along with days during vacations preparing for annual tests. Correspondingly, the pressure and responsibility teachers experience have inclined significantly. High levels of stress not only declines teaching high-order thinking, which is useful in preparing students for advanced grade levels, but also encourages teachers to replace good teaching methods with rote learning. On the other hand, the blame simply cannot be placed upon teachers, as their tenure depends on student success in standardized tests. As the Center of Education Policy Executive, Maria Ferguson, elaborates, “They’re clearly frustrated and they’re clearly feeling overwrought and asked to do a lot” (USAToday.com). Unfortunately, despite having concerns over excessive test prep sessions, parents cannot do much to eliminate the root cause of the situation. The implementation of standardized tests has and still continues to negatively affect the overall education