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Standardized testing in education
Standardized testing in education
Standardized testing in education
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Standardized testing not only stresses out students, but it also leads the teachers to go in a dilemma whether to focus on the curriculum or to get students ready for the standardized testing. No one has ever enjoyed taking a test in his or her entire educational history. Similarly Mr. Estrada’s 4th grade class was not every excited about taking standardized test. Each student has his or her own level of learning. As the students were taking the test, I noticed some students were panicking, while others were confused.
Standardized testing has not improved education in America. Standardized tests have been issued in schools all across the nation for years now. Some people like them and some people don’t. They do not help the student learn more information than they would without the tests. The U.S. has dropped from 18th highest scores in schools in the world to be in the 30’s on almost all of the subjects on the test.
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.
Although this seems like it could be a good argument against getting rid of standardized tests, teachers have no real control if a student does well in a single test. As W. James Popham, PhD, noted, “standardized achievement tests should not be used to determine the effectiveness of a state, a district, a school, or a teacher. There’s almost certain to be a significant mismatch between what’s taught and what’s tested. ”(“Why Standardized Tests Don't Measure Educational Quality.”).
Certainly, some people say that standardized testing is the only way to determine growth and achievement within students. But, these tests don’t usually provide an entire measure of educational attainment. They don’t give attributes such as a sense of wonder, leadership, compassion, curiosity, and critical thinking. Daniel Koretz, a psychometrician stated, “…tests can measure only a portion of the goals of education, which are necessarily broader and more inclusive than the test could possibly be”(humbleisd.net). Standardized tests can at best only measure if a student is good at their core classes.
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.
Students shouldn't have to take standardized tests because it could cause severe stress on children, older students might not take the tests very seriously because it doesn't affect their overall grade, and it robs children of their childhoods. First of all, these tests can cause severe stress in most students. On the website ProCon.org, con number nine it states, ” According to education reacher Gregory J. Cizek, anecdotes abound ‘illustrating how testing ...products gripping anxiety in even the brightest students, and makes young children vomit, cry, or both.’’ It also states that there is instructions on what to do if that happens!
Standardized Testing Many schools put students through standardized testing which in turn places the students in certain classes thought to be right for that student; however, many of these tests do not accurately measure the students capability. Tests that students take, who are in high school, are meant to prepare them for college and to let them know where they stand academically and how much scholarship money they could earn. Today, schools are putting too much importance and emphasis in these tests, the cost to get into college if you do not score well on these tests is infallible, and many students who do well in the classroom and have good grades do not test well, therefore, those students do not get the academic support that they deserve in college. Standardized test are meant to place students academically where they belong and also retain
Some may argue if grades are a good measure of both intelligence and devotion to school, why are standardized tests necessary? Each school is different, so just evaluating a student based on grades leaves far too much room for variations. With different teachers and class sizes, there is really no baseline to compare one student’s academic excellence to
The average American student takes about 112 standardized tests between pre-kindergarten and 12th grade (Strauss). A standardized test is any form of test that requires the student to answer the same selection of common questions in a consistent matter, which makes it possible to compare relative student performance. Standardized tests restrict creativity, waste time, and waste money. We should get rid of standardized tests in our school system. Standardized tests limit a student’s ability to express creativity.
School’s are using standardized testing for the wrong reason. “A standardized test is any examination that’s administered and scored in a predetermined, standard manner. There are two major kinds of standardized tests: aptitude tests and achievement tests” (Popham, 1999). The most common examples of aptitude tests are the SAT and the
A new report by the Washington-based Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution calculates states spend a combined $1.7 billion annually on standardized testing a year and continues to increase each year due to the low score students perform on state given test. Testing has been used since the mid-1800 and is becoming a part of people’s daily lives if it’s a mathematical test or getting your driver’s test. Since test have become such a known concept use in schools. The Department of Education requires students to take a state assessment to see not how the student are performing but, for the school district as well. Standardized testing has many benefits, but should the Department of Education put so much emphasis on standardized testing in schools?
Standardized Tests Should not be Used as a Measurement of Student Capabilities. Thousands of schools among the United States mandate and enforce laws making students participate in standardized tests such as the SAT, ACT, PSAT, NWEA, SSAT, MEAP, CAT, and many more. These tests determine the level of education a student is able to participate in, and this should not be the case, simply because there are many other factors that go into student intelligence that don’t fall under test scores.
A article that supports standardized test is “ The Value of Standardized Testing” By Dr. Gail Gross. This article talks about how standardized test makes teacher’s life easier, since it helps them to know in the most effective way on what each student is learning. According to: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/ “Furthermore, the standardized test gives valuable insight into broader issues, such as the standard curriculum important to grade level requirements, and an education reference point for fair and equitable education for all children in all schools”. This means that standardized test helps professor identify what the students are having trouble with and help them to overcome the issue. Another example is “ Moreover, student growth can be a very significant outcome of standardized tests, for though a child may return a low score he may show a growth pattern that is positive”.
In schools all around the nation, students are taking mandatory standardized tests. To some people, they are the dreaded tests that they never want to take. However, others love to take these standardized tests. Should these tests be mandatory in all high schools? I don 't believe so for many different reasons.