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Are standardized test biased
Socioeconomic status and the academic performance
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Furthermore, preparing for rigorous standardized testing is taking time away from teaching the required curriculum. The excessive testing is also imposing an unhealthy amount of stress of students. Therefore, the Ohio Department of Education should reduce standardized testing due to its cultural biases, high-stakes, and reduction in curriculum. Minorities are typically at a disadvantage when taking a standardized test, because they are already at a racial, cultural, and socioeconomic disadvantage prior to the test. The resulting disparity in test scores is known as the test score gap.
In spite of the people who believe that standardized tests are a key factor to determine a student’s academic abilities, standardized tests distract students from their current studies, they are only designed for one way of learning and comprehending material, and they are biased to students. Standardized tests distract students from their current studies and take away any extra learning opportunities that they have to elaborate on a specific topic. Standardized tests take away time for students and teachers in the classroom to continue their studies or learn something with purpose
Numerous people argue that standardized testing is necessary and does not totally alter with the student’s basic school learning experience. Standardized tests are beginning to focus more on the wealthier students and discriminating against lower income families. According to
These tests are a very poor measurement of educational quality. Standardized tests are very biased against people with a low socioeconomic status and students of color. They also discriminate against students with learning disabilities which causes them to receive lower scores than people who do not have these issues. Standardized tests are one of the ways a school districts is scored which makes the school district puts an abundance of stress and emphasis on achieving an exceptional score. This causes several of students and teachers to cheat on the tests so as to not get in trouble for doing poorly.
Standardized tests have been around for hundred of years. These include tests like the SAT and GRE, which are biased. A major issue with these tests is the fact that the distributors are making millions a year, even though these tests don’t measure a student’s capabilities. A PBS (2002) article states that figures went from $7million in 1955 to $263 million in 1997. A Big Think (2011) article stated “The trick for educators, colleges, and individuals is remembering that test scores are merely one (imperfect) indicator of how you stack up against the crowd, not an assessment of any your future potential” (p. 1).
The SAT and ACT serve a purpose for the colleges, still not the students, they base students acceptance on the scores made. Biases can be devastating for students who do not fall in the privileged category as it is less likely they will be accepted into colleges. The privileged category leans mainly towards white males in higher social classes. The organization Fairtest gives examples on the ACT such as, “Biased format: Research shows that a fast-paced, multiple-choice format favors males over females. Guessing, a risk males are more likely to take, is rewarded.
Standardized testing does not measure students’ academic abilities In the beginning of standardized testing, students were set up to fail. They were skewed and not in some people’s favor. For example, on the tests there was questions that only white middle aged people would know, immigrants with little or no English would not compare to an average white middle aged person taking the test.
Standardized tests have become of overwhelming importance, especially for high school students hoping to pursue a college degree. These tests have invaded the minds of students and educators alike producing feelings of frustration and stress. Educators become hyper-focused on specific standards and worry about whether their students are testing well throughout the year as these tests may reflect SAT or ACT success. Instead of focusing on ideas and learning that would be of more value to the students and their future, students are stressing over testing at all levels in order to score well on these college predicting tests.
Standardized tests are becoming less of the norm for students as colleges recognize that they could be a poor resource for college admissions. They have been around since 1875 and should be altered to conform to today's society. Students' futures should not revolve around these exams. Although standardized tests improve equity when applying for college, these exams should not be the center of the school's curriculum because schools are unable to prepare teachers, leaving the students with unnecessary stress and poor achievement.
Standardized testing today is a worldwide phenomenon that supposedly ranks the intelligence of students on a level playing field. States have been in a competition over the highest test scores, the better your rank the more funding you receive. This does not stop at state competition, nations recently have been competing at a global scale and rankings come out for every subject each year. However standardized testing like the SAT, ACT, and state tests have had an overall negative impact on the education of the youth. The first form of the standardized test comparable to today's standard, was created in the early 19th century by Horace Mann (History of Standardized Tests).
In addition, research finds that “The children of the affluent score higher on average than those of lower income groups”(Finneran). When it comes to standardized tests, it is seen that they seem to favor those of higher classes, and It’s absurd for colleges to use standardized test scores when determining a student's admission when uncontrollable factors can make a major difference in how they score on the test. Although some may argue that certain standardized tests were originally created to give all students an equal chance at getting into college, due to the nature of today's world, the inclusivity the test strived to provide is gone. Consequently, standardized tests can no longer be seen as a way to give all students an equal chance, in fact, they only create more division. All in all, due to how unfair standardized tests can really be for students, colleges should not use these test scores to determine student
Thousands of tiny circles spread across the page, labeled with your first few ABC’s. Your palms begin to sweat as you carefully choose B, but it can’t be B! You’ve already chosen this letter the last three times, and now you’re left in a distressed state. This is the stressful feeling most students experience during standardized tests. Creating even more stress is the place these standardized tests count toward, a burdening place known as college.
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
Many argue such tests take a one-size-fits all approach that lack the ability to deliver accurate results and no matter how well crafted will never be a solution for all issues. Standardized exams lack the ability and quality to adequately measure such a large and diverse population presented within the U.S. student body and is based on false assumptions that compound biases and inequalities. Opponents argue testing doesn’t really even the playing field for all students as was originally intended by NCLB. Standardized testing hurts students from disadvantaged backgrounds because while in being given the same exams, students from more affluent backgrounds have the means to hire personal tutors and take expensive test prep courses to specifically prepare for test (Neill & Medina,
Jacob Weiss Mr. Corso December 7th 2017 Science and Religion Science and religion have been believed to contradict each other since the dawn of mankind. Since the beginning there have always been heavy debates pointing out the flaws of the two. Many individuals in both fields of religion, and fields of science have contradicting and opposing views regarding this matter. The main battles consist of the story of creation, and the scientific process of evolution. Science and Religion are needed to understand each other and are both vital to society by helping us to further understand life, how we got here, and what we need to survive.