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Standardized Testing Essay

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Standardized tests have become a major aspect throughout the plethora of school systems worldwide. They allow for the evaluation of an educational system's effectiveness, student performance, and find solutions to problems (INcompassing Education). Although this type of implementation may sound beneficial on paper, recent studies show it is not always useful in practice, and can even hinder the development of those with disabilities (NeuroHealth Arlington Heights). However, why do these tests matter so much when the curriculum demonstrates a students performance and growth over the course of the entire school year, giving a more accurate measurement of intelligence (Columbia University, p. 2)? Perhaps, it is due to the fact that standardized …show more content…

Standardized testing can not only put stress on certain individuals who handle tests differently to other students, but even hinders the education of individuals who have learning disabilities. Due to the fact that tests only take into account the basic abilities of certain students, many students with disabilities struggle, and provide less reliable and truthful results (NeuroHealth). For example, a student who has problems with both reading comprehension, writing skills, and reading itself will struggle on written tests (NeuroHealth). This both hinders the learning experience of these students and provides schools with inaccurate assessments of student intelligence. Some students with learning disabilities may have problems with other topics, such as math, whilst others may not have taken many tests in their life before (NeuroHealth). Standardized tests are prepared with bias, and do not take into account external factors which may or may not help students learn proficiently and exceed their limits. Another thing to take into account is how all standardized tests are dictated by a time limit. Students who struggle with topics more than others are harmed by timed tests, as they must work at their own pace to fully comprehend and solve problems given to them and their peers who do not need to take their time (NeuroHealth). Even if completing the test were to affect how they are viewed academically, many disabled persons will not have the chance to finish the test at all, at least within the timeframe provided to them. When taking into account the variety of disabilities which exist in schools, it begs the question as to how and why these tests have not been suited to assist students with disadvantages in comparison to their peers. The very fact that standardized tests do not accommodate these factors in the first place shows that it is an

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⦁ Students with Disadvantages and Disabilities: The textbook claims that critics believe high stakes testing disadvantages specific groups of students in relation to ethnicity, disibility, income, and language (Enz, Bergeron, & Wolfe 197). High stakes testing also increases the likelihood that at risk students will leave high school without a diploma, which may have an impact on their future economic success (Enz, Bergeron, & Wolfe. 197). These tests also hold all students accountable for the same knowledge, even if they have personal disabilities that may effect their test taking skills. For example, schools with a large amount of at risk students that are learning English will most likely have a harder time taking an all English high stakes test than a Caucasian student who has spent his entire life in America.

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Standardized Testing While can be beneficial, standardized testing isn't improving American education. Standardized testing evaluates only the individual performance of a student instead of the overall growth of a student over the course of a year. In my opinion, Standardized testing is not enhancing education in America. Not all students who are smart and take in all the information test well. For instance, there are many people who simply do not perform well on tests.

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Meredith Broussard explains how standardized testing does not prove a child’s general knowledge nor creative in-depth thinking by stating, “Standardized tests are not based on general knowledge... they are based on specific knowledge contained in specific sets of books: the textbooks created by the test makers” (Broussard). Miner also states that standardized testing, “... leads to a dumbed-down curriculum that values rote memorization over in-depth thinking, exacerbates inequities for low-income students and students of color, and undermines true accountability among schools, parents, and community” (Miner). The assessment of a child should encourage a child to want to learn for the sake of learning. Alternative assessments could address a child’s development and learning process. These evaluations can determine why children are more likely to read behind grade level, instead of highlighting their inabilities.

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I agree with that. But at the same time, standardized tests have become the sole focus of schools. That’s not what school should be focused

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