Standardized Tests : Standardized Testing

Recently, arguments have arisen over the issue of standardized testing. It doesn’t matter whether we are talking about the ACT, OGT, semester exams given by the district, or the recent implementation of PARCC tests, all are standardized tests that almost all Ohio students will encounter in their schooling career. In Aaron Churchill’s “Bless the tests: Three reasons for standardized testing,” Churchill gives his reasoning on why standardized tests are beneficial even past the assessment of students, teachers, schools, and districts. He argues, among other things, that the tests give parents a good comparison of their students to other students, hold schools accountable for student academic growth, and close the gap between different grading practices in schools. These assertions, along with the rest of the essay, are invalid.

After the implementation of the “No Child Left Behind Act” high risk standardized testing has become a pressure cooker of corruption in the United States due to often unrealistic expectations, abundant incentives, and harsh punishments placed upon educators and administrators, overall resulting in the essential need for reform. The concept that every student’s academic ability can be assessed by a single universal exam is a misguided notion.

The Department of Education concludes that high-stakes testing and statewide standards puts too strain on both the teacher and student. Multiple studies show evidence of miscalculation of scores, teachers being blamed for low test score, and too much time spent on preparation for the tests. The purpose of this policy brief is to elaborate on the non-beneficial components of high-stakes testing and statewide standards. Thus, peer-reviewed research articles and evidential articles are reviewed on high-stakes testing and statewide standards. In addition, the state of Florida has shown the greatest amount of dissatisfied outcomes. The information provided in this policy brief will precisely indicate why high-stakes testing and statewide standards should be abandoned from the school system. I request the action of Congress to outlaw high-stakes testing and statewide standards for the betterment of all National citizens by passing a new law to force states away from standardized testing.

Research shows that the use of standardized testing has spanned centuries, some of the earlier studies include data from the early 1900’s. According to Frazier (2009), “there is a significant difference in scores on standardized tests when students have completed a technology education program”. This study shows a correlation between the use of technology within the school system and achievement on standardized tests. Students that are exposed to technology education are more likely to do well on standardized tests.

“…only twenty-two percent of those surveyed said increased testing had helped the performance of their local schools compared with twenty-eight in 2007” (“Public Skeptical of Standardized Testing.”). Furthermore the poll indicated an eleven percent increase, compared to last year, towards the favor of discontinuing the usage of students’ test results for teacher evaluations. William Bushaw, executive director of PDK International and co-director of PDK/Gallup Poll also stated, “Americans’ mistrust of standardized tests and their lack of confidence and understanding around new education standards is one the most surprising developments we’ve found in years” (“Public Skeptical of Standardized Testing.”). All in all, not only are these tests a concern for students, who are forced to sit through them, hoping to get a decent enough score to place into a class, receive their diploma, or even get accepted to the college of their dreams, but they are a concern for parents as well, who only want the best for their children and to see them succeed.

Sasha Zucker states in her article “Fundamentals of Standardized Testing” that standardized tests are unbiased because machines grade the tests to avoid human errors in grading. However, the bias that occurs on standardized tests is mostly found in the students taking the test, such as in their culture, disabilities, emotions during the test, and any other aspects in their life that would cause test scores to greatly differ from what they could be and the test scores of other students. Having machines grade the standardized tests removes a very small amount of bias in standardized testing and does not provide for an unbiased testing method. Zucker also states about viable tests that “For a test to solve this combination of challenges effectively,

Standardized testing in the United States started in the mid- 1800’s (Standardized Tests - ProCon.org). This kind of testing was originally created to measure students’ performance and progress in school (Standardized Tests - ProCon.org). In recent years, the public school system has relied heavily on the information this test provides, in doing so creating controversy. Other than being a student myself, and participating in multiple standardized exams such as, CSAP, ACT, and SAT, I do not have much background knowledge on this debate. The debate over standardized testing has raised this inquiry question: What are the effects of standardized testing on the United States public education system?

In the article publish by Robert L. Linn, discuss the love-hate relationship that Americans’ has with standardized testing. Various testes have change over the year, making some standardized testing more popular than other standardized testing. As the demands and high expectations for more testing and assessment get more and more harsh criticism. It was argued that “Testing was seen as a tool for improving for improving efficiency and managing the dramatic growth in students in the early part of the 20th century.” (Linn, 29). When Odell promoted multiple choice, he knew that there would be a new list of common criticism with the testing. In the article that stated that the predications about the future are continually risky. Any resolutions

GED, SAT, ACT, and more test are standardize tests. Students need to take this test in order to graduate from high school or college. In American society, standardize tests are test that schools use to measure students’ academic achievement, or to show whether students are ready to progress to the next stage of their educations. While the test is designed to measure student’s ability, many people are concerned about the use of the tests. Standardize test can measure students’ knowledge, but it is not meant to be testing students’ creativity and other skills. I believe that the schools should not over use the standardize tests because standardize tests can only measure small part of education. Also, the test does not value diversity and is unreliable

M., & Barton, K. (2003). Assessing Students With Disabilities: Issues and Evidence. Los Angeles: The Regents of the University of California. Retrieved from http://cse.ucla.edu/products/reports/TR587.pdf

Thoughts about the ACT or SAT give most students sleepless nights. Well, it is an important test but getting overwhelmed by it is not going to help. These few fun facts about the ACT/SAT are just what you need when you are looking for a short, refreshing distraction from the intense studying. The ACT/SAT should be the main factor in college acceptance because it gives minorities an equal chance of admission, it provides a standard for all students of all high school backgrounds to achieve, and test you on the basic skills you need to know after leaving high school anyway.

Introduction: Standardized testing is used to hold schools accountable. The pressure to have students pass the STAAR test has negatively impacted education, because teachers to narrow curriculum in order to focus on material on the test. Standardized testing is causing the deterioration of a meaningful curriculum in the Texas Education System

The way I take a standardized test is the night before i will study the subject that will be in the test so I can be prepared when I am testing. There will be some problems I struggle in when I am taking the test but I do my best to solve it out. I consider my self and good tester because because I am always about 60% prepare when I have to take a test. I feel like I have always been a good tester because I feel like I am always prepared to take a test I don't struggle as much when I am prepared. The way I prepare my self for a standardized test is I will ask the teacher to give me a few problems that will be on the test to keep on practicing until I feel prepared. The night before I will review a few problems that I think will help me out

Understandably, it is commonly argued too many standardized tests are being given. The average student takes 112 standardized tests in their elementary through their high school career; it is equivalent to 8 standardized tests per year (Strauss 1). “Standardized Tests ProCon.org” released an article in 2016 about standardized testing and mentioned a study by the Brookings Institution, tests are supposed to be a measure of student performance; the study suggested standardized tests taken on a yearly basis improvements were only temporary and didn’t impact long-term learning (1). Studies have looked at testing practice of schools located in big cities and protests started about the exams. After a study, there was a national opt-out movement of students opting out of mandatory standardized testing. After this opt-out movement, Common Core standards fueled the fire because teachers started refusing to administer giving standardized tests; they were also begging their schools to inquire change for their state’s testing requirements. The concerns of too much standardized testing is turning into a live political issue, which may turn into a complete movement.

Standardized tests are annoying little things that students in schools all across the nation have to take every year. Though, if all the facts are taken into consideration, they do not really seem worth it, do they? Many people speculate whether or not they are actually measuring a student’s intelligence or anything like that. It seems that students do not necessarily have to learn the material, only memorize it for a short period of time. The question has to be raised, though-- what exactly qualifies a test to be a standardized test? Well, as described by The Glossary of Education Reform, there are two main things that make a test standardized. The first being that the test “...requires all test takers to answer the same questions, or