The current American educational system incorporates a method of evaluation known to every student as the dreaded standardized test. These tests range from state evaluations of grade levels to the ACT and SAT. The purpose of these tests is to fairly evaluate the performance of students and have comparable data. After tests are taken, data is grouped according to states, schools, race, gender, and other categories to compare student’s academic performance. While many claim that standardized testing improves the educational system, there is evidence proving it may not be as effective as previously thought. Standardized testing, the current form of evaluating a student’s overall performance, fails to efficiently serve its purpose in monitoring
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These tests most commonly seek to measure a student’s knowledge in specific fields of education. Along with multiple-choice questions, the tests have an array of true/ false, short-answer and a mix of other question types. The higher number of single answer questions leads to increased grading speed and more easily comparable grades. Standardized tests are known for being more efficient, less expensive, and time sensitive (EdGlossary par.2). However, there are many disadvantages that come with standardized testing. One of the main arguments against standardized testing is that …show more content…
The reality is that standardized tests are inadequate measures of student’s academic skill. Supporters of testing believe that it allows for comparison among other students, schools and other sub-groups. The scores are quantifiable measures of intellect that can be paired with a student. The student has their own set of individual characteristics and this score can be taken and set against others with the same characteristics. In theory this seems like an efficient plan. However, many factors make it so this cannot be the case. First of all, the test only really measures a student’s academic for one day. Students may grow over the course of the academic year and standardized testing has no way of measuring that. Many external factors could change the outcome of the scores. If the student gets some unsettling news before the test, or if they are simply having a rough day, it could majorly influence their test grade (Columbia University 2). Testing anxiety creates a hurdle for students as well. Many students just don’t perform well under the immense pressure that testing brings. The idea that standardized testing accurately gages a student’s intellectual capacity is fairly nonsensical when considering how many other factors can affect the
These tests most commonly seek to measure a student’s knowledge in specific fields of education. Along with multiple-choice questions, the tests have an array of true/ false, short-answer and a mix of other question types. The higher number of single answer questions leads to increased grading speed and more easily comparable grades. Standardized tests are known for being more efficient, less expensive, and time sensitive (EdGlossary par.2). However, there are many disadvantages that come with standardized testing. One of the main arguments against standardized testing is that …show more content…
The reality is that standardized tests are inadequate measures of student’s academic skill. Supporters of testing believe that it allows for comparison among other students, schools and other sub-groups. The scores are quantifiable measures of intellect that can be paired with a student. The student has their own set of individual characteristics and this score can be taken and set against others with the same characteristics. In theory this seems like an efficient plan. However, many factors make it so this cannot be the case. First of all, the test only really measures a student’s academic for one day. Students may grow over the course of the academic year and standardized testing has no way of measuring that. Many external factors could change the outcome of the scores. If the student gets some unsettling news before the test, or if they are simply having a rough day, it could majorly influence their test grade (Columbia University 2). Testing anxiety creates a hurdle for students as well. Many students just don’t perform well under the immense pressure that testing brings. The idea that standardized testing accurately gages a student’s intellectual capacity is fairly nonsensical when considering how many other factors can affect the