There has been a major controversy about the relationship between standardized test scores and the availability of school funding. This heated debate has affected teachers, parents, students, and Congressman across the United States. With the new standardized test being placed in Oregon, called the Smarter Balanced test, this argument has been renewed close to home.
In the past, the school’s standardized test scores reflected on how much funding money was given to them. However, some deem this as unfair because certain social statuses and ethnicities have previously tested poorly. On the other side, the Smarter Balanced test is created to help prepare students to success in college and careers. By taking this test, it helps give teachers and …show more content…
A 2001 study published by the Brookings Institution found that 50-80% of year-over-year test score improvements were temporary and later terminated to their original scores.
Standardized tests have been found to be discriminatory against non-English speakers. English language learned are forced to take the tests in English prior to have learned how to speak English. A roadblock for these students is already put up previous to even taking the test. Their likelihood of doing their best of their ability falls to how advanced their English is.
In addition to these disapprovals, many people criticize these tests to only measuring a small portion of what makes education meaningful. According to Gerald W. Bracey, he says that qualities that standardized tests cannot measure include “creativity, critical thinking, resilience, motivation, persistence, curiosity, endurance, reliability, enthusiasm, empathy, self-awareness, self-discipline, leadership, civic-mindedness, courage, compassion, resourcefulness, a sense of beauty, a sense of wonder, honesty, and integrity.” As you can tell by Mr. Bracey’s long list of what standardized tests are missing, there is a huge gap to what should connect education to the classroom to who the students are as a human
In the past, the school’s standardized test scores reflected on how much funding money was given to them. However, some deem this as unfair because certain social statuses and ethnicities have previously tested poorly. On the other side, the Smarter Balanced test is created to help prepare students to success in college and careers. By taking this test, it helps give teachers and …show more content…
A 2001 study published by the Brookings Institution found that 50-80% of year-over-year test score improvements were temporary and later terminated to their original scores.
Standardized tests have been found to be discriminatory against non-English speakers. English language learned are forced to take the tests in English prior to have learned how to speak English. A roadblock for these students is already put up previous to even taking the test. Their likelihood of doing their best of their ability falls to how advanced their English is.
In addition to these disapprovals, many people criticize these tests to only measuring a small portion of what makes education meaningful. According to Gerald W. Bracey, he says that qualities that standardized tests cannot measure include “creativity, critical thinking, resilience, motivation, persistence, curiosity, endurance, reliability, enthusiasm, empathy, self-awareness, self-discipline, leadership, civic-mindedness, courage, compassion, resourcefulness, a sense of beauty, a sense of wonder, honesty, and integrity.” As you can tell by Mr. Bracey’s long list of what standardized tests are missing, there is a huge gap to what should connect education to the classroom to who the students are as a human