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Arguments Against Standardized Testing In Texas

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Standardized Testing in Texas Standardized testing in Texas schools has heard the cries of reform for several years. With each new test, there are problems that have to be corrected and it seems like a never ending cycle of reform. The current test, STAAR, State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, is in need of a major revision for it to be utilized successfully for our students in the upcoming years. “With the implementation of the new STAAR testing system in Texas, there has been an outcry from some parents, educators, and commentators that the state places too much emphasis on standardized testing. They claim that students and educators spend too much time on state testing, the stakes for the tests are too high, and the local districts- …show more content…

They feel that because there has been more standardized testing and the stakes are being raised so that the students are learning more and achieving better results. By holding the schools accountable, they are making sure that if they are not reaching the set goals they will pay a high price so school districts are going above and beyond to try and meet the high demands of the state mandated testing of Texas. “College officials praise exit tests for helping ensure that freshmen are prepared because as the tests become tougher, they may further reduce the demand for remedial education, which now costs colleges an estimated $2-billion a year.” (Schmidt). While it is true that schools do need to be held accountable for what they are teaching and are the teaching the state standards at each grade level, holding a student back a grade level or even withholding a diploma is not acceptable. There could be a middle ground reached between opponents and proponents of standardized testing if the major issues were addressed first which were previously mentioned. High stakes testing is not the way to get opponents on board for standardized testing and not holding schools accountable …show more content…

The League of United Latin American Citizens, LULAC, is a civil rights Hispanic organization that is one of the largest and oldest in the United States. “LULAC advances the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, housing, health and civil rights of Hispanic Americans” (LULAC). LULAC has consistently been against high stakes testing and been very vocal in their displeasure with the states demands. LULAC’s former Committee Chair for the Texas Chapter, Angela Valenzuela, was part of the resistance to standardized testing in the 1990’s when the state first began denying high school diplomas to students for failing state tests” (Michels). The concern for standardized testing is because they feel that standardized testing is failing their citizens and denying them to get into colleges or to go on to the next grade

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