Standardized Testing Rhetorical Analysis

Standardized testing has become a very controversial topic amongst the nation. There are two sides, one that agrees that these tests are doing well for students and school officials, and another that argues that these tests are hurting the students taking them and should be put to a stop. Norman R. Augustine wrote an article for the need of standardized testing, and Jessie B. Ramey States the ways that the tests are impairing the learning capability of the students. Norman uses three arguments that people opposing the standardized test would most often use. The first is that these test encourages the teachers just to “teach the test”, but he ensures that, this is exactly what the teachers should be doing. The tests are measuring the proficiency

Kane, director of the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University, compares this occurrence to be equivalent to saying, ”because there are some players that cheated in Major League Baseball, we should stop keeping score, because that only encourages people to take steroids”. As the third argument, people against these test say that, high stakes testing places too much pressure on students. Norman says he that these test can sometimes constitute cruel and unusual punishment, but surely there is a middle ground between the practices and full-scale abandonment of standardized testing can be found. “Those who argue against standardized testing are not only misguided, but are also leading U.S school and students in the wrong direction” (Augustine). Jessie B. Ramey disagrees. She finds the tests are impacting the children in negative

In most schools, classrooms and hallways are striped of everything on the walls and boards, so the students can’t be accused of cheating off of any material. Students are often put on some type of lock-down, limiting access to the bathroom and other facilities. Over the many weeks that the standardized test are taking place, resources and facilities are being taken over by the students that are taking the tests. The school computer labs, and sometimes libraries have test held in them, and students are not allowed to enter them to use the resources for studies. Students are also getting less learning time, due to the time it takes for test prep. They even will take out daily announcements and pep-rallies to “prepare” the students for the tests they have that day (Ramey). With everything comes a Pro and Con side, but it is to find middle ground which is important. This argument of standardized testing, has the side of the nation trying to keep up with the standards of other country, because we are falling a bit behind in academics, compared to other countries. There is where a line where students aren’t getting the all-round experience and knowledge that they need to succeed. Both parties need to find a line that can supersede education standards without taking away from the