Standardized tests are not helping the students of the United States of America and they should remove the mandatory tests students are forced to take. Throughout one’s education in the United States of America, a student is going to run into many standardized tests. This is the result of the signing of the No Child Left Behind Act that was signed by President George W. Bush in 2002. It was signed to give more responsibility to the government to educate the children of the United States of America. Underneath all the legal words, it meant that states must test students, from the third grade to the twelfth grade. Each school has an Adequate Yearly Process that they must report to see how they are doing and if they didn’t pass that level to show …show more content…
They began to teach students for the test, instead of understanding the concepts. I, in personal experience, study my subjects to pass the tests and receive a good grade, not to fully understand the concepts. Good learning techniques are now being replaced with repetition and teaching how to proficiently ace the test. In 2007, a study at the University of Maryland found that teachers felt that they needed to “teach the test” since they could receive consequences if they failed to get over the Adequate Yearly Process. Standardized testing showed no signs of students improving as well. In 2002, the United States had a ranking of eighteenth in math and in 2013 the United States had a ranking of 31st. These drops were also seen in science and reading. In every single category, the United States fell below the average. These are clear facts that show that these tests are not better educating students. Regular education is being interrupted by preparing for tests. Even days students were supposed to take the day off were interrupted because of extra preparatory students had to take, just so the school could get the funding they needed. In 2010, after New York City's reading and math scores went lower and lower, many schools imposed extra measures to avoid being shut down, including daily two and a half hour lessons and test practice on vacation