Persuasive Essay On Standardized Testing

From pre-kindergarten to the 12th grade, the average student takes approximately 112 standardized tests (Layton). These tests are not as reliable as most people think. The result a student will get greatly depends on the physical and emotional well-being on the testing day. Many students suffer from testing-day anxiety, and high levels of stress because they are being bombarded the pressure of knowing how tremendously influential these scores will be for their future. Standardized tests like the ACT and SAT are used to measure the potential successfulness of the particular student in college. In reality, these scores only contribute to 25 percent of that success (Popham). This pressure can cause students to take drastic measure to ensure their

Standardized test scores determine the effectiveness of the teachers as well as the school. School are to maintain, or improve their overall testing grade or prepare to face penalties. The penalties for a failing school include cutting back on extracurricular activities, and any classes that are not considered “core classes” like math, reading, science, etc. Teachers deemed ineffective by the test scores of their students, are disengaged. This is unfair for the will of succeeding in students can only be affected so much by a teacher. Since the situation is out of their control once the students are testing, teachers ensure the material they are being testing on has been pounded into their already stressed brains, leading to the idea that teachers are “teaching to the test.” Education has become narrow and no longer encourage creativity. Multiple choice tests do not allow the student to demonstrate their abilities and talents. Short response questions barely do them any justice as well because these tests are timed, and the students are more focused on writing the bare minimum to get the answer correct, as opposed to writing THEIR well thought-out