Standardized Testing In Public Schools

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A standardized test is a test that is administered and scored in a consistent, or "standard", manner. standardized tests are designed in such a way that the questions, conditions for administering, scoring procedures, and interpretations are consistent and are administered and scored in a predetermined, standard manner. any test in which the same test is given in the same manner to all test takers, is a standardized test. standardized tests do not need to be high-stakes tests, time-limited tests, or multiple-choice tests. the questions can be simple or complex. the subject matter among school-age students is frequently academic skills, but a standardized test can be given on nearly any topic, including driving tests, creativity, personality, …show more content…

the need for the federal government to make meaningful comparisons across a highly de-centralized public education system has also contributed to the debate about standardized testing, including the elementary and secondary education act of 1965 that required standardized testing in public schools. u.s. public law 107-110, known as the no child left behind act of 2001, further ties public school funding to standardized testing. the goal of no child left behind was to improve the education system in the united states by holding school and teachers accountable and attempting to close the educational gap between minority and non-minority children in public schools. students ' results on standardized tests were used to allocate funds and other resources such as teachers and administrators to schools. this policy does not provide a federal standard for schools, but allows each state to set their own standards. standardized testing is a very common way of determining a student 's past academic achievement and future potential. however, high-stakes tests can cause anxiety. when teachers or schools are rewarded for better performance on tests, then those rewards encourage teachers to "teach to the test" instead of providing a rich and broad curriculum. as a result, standardized testing has become controversial in the united states.