Standardized Testing Essay

Standardized Testing: Beneficial or Not?

As famous comedian John Oliver expressed, “Standardized tests: the fastest way to terrify any child with five letters outside of just one whisper of the word, ‘clown’” (Oliver 0:06-0:12). Those who support standardized tests believe that they have established a universal standard to measure student progress and ensure accountability. In addition, standardized testing provides parents and students a way to gauge student progress and improvement over time (Tunnell 3-4). Unfortunately, the tests can be unfair to marginalized and learning disabled students, and--for older students--GPAs are considered a more accurate measure of future academic success than standardized testing (Lutchman 2). Although standardized

Such testing began in the mid-1800s as education adopted more formal practices. By the first World War, standardized tests became required for college entrance. According to Dr. Mary Lyn Bourque, the United States struggled with testing issues for almost four decades before George W. Bush became president in 2000 (Bourque 227). Previous efforts by Clinton, Reagan, and the first President Bush to improve education largely failed (Bourque 229). One positive outcome, however, is that their attempts to improve the US education system paved the way for the second President Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). This act required standardized annual testing based on a program that George W. Bush oversaw while he was governor of Texas (Bourque 229-230). Unfortunately, despite the NCLB act’s legislation and hopes to improve school performance, the rankings did not rise in America’s favor. For example, in 2000, US students were ranked 18th in the world for mathematics only to drop to 40th by 2015 (Lutchman 1). Likewise, the rankings for English and science also significantly declined (Lutchman 1). Adding to the problem is the fact that what appears on a test may not always correlate to what a student has learned in the classroom, and the tests are not always telling of a student’s future success in college or the workplace (Lutchman 1). As Educator Keon McGuire of Arizona State

This necessary data helps policymakers ensure that school districts are consistent and identify whatever interventions may need to be done (Churchill et al. 3). Without standardized testing, policymakers have no objective way to determine which schools need help and which deserve rewards. As Churchill wisely asks, “Who would want policymakers to intervene in a school based on their ‘gut feeling’ or reward a school based on anecdotes?” (Churchill et al. 4). The testing provides valuable information for making decisions and is the only fair way to establish