Standardized Testing Argumentative Essay

Everyone is familiar with the dreaded standardized examinations that occur at the end of every single school year and are necessary for college admissions. Although these tests are not inherently value defining, society has subtly placed a disproportionate worth on the outcomes of these exams. Allowing exams to determine students’ academic worth is unproductive and potentially harmful to a young scholar’s motivation. Standardized testing is not beneficial to students because undesired results can discourage young people, misrepresent a student’s capabilities, and negatively affect future pursuits. For many years, legislators and proponents of standardized testing have touted its ability to “motivate the unmotivated” to learn (Orfield and Kornhaber,

There are a number of reasons for this potential misrepresentation, with one of the most common culprits being test anxiety. According to the Learning Center at UNC Chapel Hill, test anxiety is a combination of physical and emotional symptoms that hinder one’s performance on exams. Research shows that around 10% of high school and college aged students have a high level of test anxiety, with 40% having a milder form (Driscoll and Ross, 2006). Exam grades are undoubtedly an important part of education, they can determine college acceptances and future job opportunities. However, this pressure to perform causes many students to overworry, which can lead to undesired results and grades. As one New Jersey student was quoted in an article from Scholastic Choices, “...High scores on a standardized test might indicate only that the student is good at taking those kinds of tests, not that the student knows how to apply the knowledge to real-world problems.” Standardized testing is only a reflection of the material on the exam, not an accurate depiction of a student’s capabilities in practical application and critical thinking. Test anxiety, if not properly managed, could affect future opportunities and academic success. For this reason, high-stakes testing is not the optimal solution for US school

The importance and value placed on high-stakes testing in some US states is actively affecting retention and dropout rates, which will undoubtedly impact affected students’ livelihoods. Students in the bottom 20% in states with high-stakes testing were 25% more likely to drop out of high school than their peers in states without high-stakes testing (Jacob, 2001, as cited in Amrein and Berliner, 2003). According to Amrein and Berliner, 88% of the states with high school graduation exams have higher dropout rates than states without the exams. These increasing dropout rates will be harmful to students’ career goals and decrease overall learning. Not only are students dropping out of high school as a result of high-stakes testing, but some are also being forced to repeat a grade. Previous research has shown that students who repeat a grade are notably more likely to drop out of school (Goldschmidt and Wang, 1999, as cited in Amrein and Berliner, 2003). Retention is not a viable solution for under-peforming students. Holding students back simply pushes them to drop out of school earlier, which creates more problems than standardized testing was designed to