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Shianne Cameron

Ian Devine

Lucas Glynn

Zachary Schildhouse

James Stearns

Nicholas Timmons

English 111 M10

Christopher Wyman

Feb. 16, 2017

What Is Standardized Testing Trying to Prove?

High-stakes standardized testing turns many classrooms and schools into prep centers

rather than offering rich, engaging, well-rounded instruction. High school exit exams such as the

ACT or SAT pushes many thousands of students out of school. As a result of these factors urban

graduation rates have decreased. Some students see no realistic option other than dropping out;

some are deliberately pushed out or fail the tests. Both parents and educators have vocalized their

stance on the rising number of standardized tests the government is implementing in efforts to

improve education in American schools. Standardized testing in American school systems

influences poor learning environments and is not a reliable source of measuring our childrens

education.

Diversity in America is widely represented in our youth and in our school systems. A

major issue with standardized testing is that fact that it does not value diversity. Many students

who take these tests have different cultural backgrounds, different levels of proficiency in the

English language, different learning styles and different past life experiences. Unfortunately the

standardized test treats all students as if they were identical to each other, as well as the students

who have taken the test years before them. The tests actually seem to favor the upper class

Caucasian students because they are exposed to a wider array of life experience. These upper

class students are able to afford special tutors who are familiar with the test and the types of
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questions it asks. These tutors have a direct correlation to higher test scores for students. With so

many different cultures in our communities who all have different traditions, customs, and

beliefs, how can you measure students who have not been exposed to the same material? Test

developers assume that test takers have no linguistic barriers that inhibit their performance on

tests (Ford). Though this may be true for the majority of students, there is still a large portion of

students who are set up for failure simply because they are a minority.

Carole J. Gallagher writes Reconciling a Tradition of Testing with a New Learning

Paradigm talks about the idea of standardized testing was thought of by a man named Horace

Mann he suggested that rather than annual oral exams students should take written tests to show

they have adequate knowledge on the subjects. The results of the test showed that there was a

huge gap in student knowledge these results lead to almost every U.S. city to adopt the test in

1865. The army used placement test to figure out future officers. The results showed that the

officers that have not been tested were overwhelmed by request. Since the testing worked so well

for the Army, schools join the testing to find students ideal career placement. Schools have been

using testing since then changing the focus to the students knowledge of the subjects.

Standardized testing had changes made when the No Child Left Behind Act that was put in place

to reduce the achievement gap between rich and poor kids as well as set standards for what

students should know.

The No Child Left Behind act of 2001, also known as NCLB, penalizes schools if their

students dont perform at a certain predetermined level, which bases the the students academic

progress on their standardized testing performance. By using this method, the teachers do not get

to individually gauge students academic success. Measuring of student success is placed in the

hands of the independent test making services funded by the government. Cathy Davidson in her
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article Customized and Participatory Learning states that

In an increasingly customized world, we have standardized public education that is far

closer to an early nineteenth-century model than a twenty-first century one. If one purpose

of formal education is to underscore what modes of learning are valued by our society, we

are in an oddly mismatched time, where success and failure of a school district or student

are determined by standardized tests at a time of vast potential for customized,

collaborative learning (51).

The No Child Left Behind model of forced education places too high of an emphasis on

uniformity, and is considered outdated in the modern age.

As a result, standardized testing is not always the best practice when it comes to teaching.

Teachers are more stressed than ever to have their students excel at a testing system that doesn't

fit all students needs as learners. School districts are penalized with reduced funding if students

do not perform at a certain level(51). Decreasing the funding of a school district isn't going to

solve the problem of students not receiving the proper education to pass the so called test.

When the NCLB act passed in 2001, students lost the ability to be creative in the learning

process. Teachers had to eliminate valuable activities and projects that could employ a child's

brain into thinking outside the box. Unfortunately, now that school systems have adapted to

teaching the students fundamentals pertaining to the specific standardized tests, students are no

longer given the chance to learn skills outside of the tests requirements.

In addition, students arent the only ones who play massive roles in standardized test

taking. Teachers also play a major role in a student's test taking skills, according to an article

from the Washington Post written by Valerie Strauss. Strauss states, An Atlanta jury convicted

11 teachers of racketeering and other crimes in a standardized testing scandal believed to be the
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worst wave of test cheating in nearly 40 states and Washington D.C. (Strauss). The article

also releases information on the case at hand, stating, The case stemmed from a 2013

indictment by a grand jury of Beverly Hall, the now deceased Atlanta schools superintendent,

and 34 teachers, principals and others (Strauss). This incident raises multiple questions such

as; are standardized tests becoming too difficult for young students to do alone? Are teachers

aware of the risks that they are taking on when attempting to help their students? The article also

goes on to state,

How did it happen? No Child Left Behind (NCLB), President George W. Bushs

chief education initiative, and then Race to the Top, President Obamas central

program, placed increasingly high stakes on standardized test scores They had to

go up, or else there would be negative consequences not just for students but

schools and teachers [as well as] principals (Strauss).

Its no rumor that standardized testing has put schools across the nation on edge, with these

standardized tests. The state observes the schools to ensure that the teachings are adequate and

relevant, which adds weight onto the educators and faculty to make sure they do everything by

the book, or in this case by the test to make sure the that the school is doing well and is basically

awarded the prize money for achieving the passing scores.

Also in the article was an indictment stating;

Over time, the unreasonable pressure to meet APS (Atlanta Public Schools)

targets led some [teachers] to cheat on the CRCT (Criterion Referenced

Competency Test). The refusal of Beverly Hall and her top administrators to

accept anything other than satisfying targets created an environment where

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achieving the desired end result was more important than the students education

(Strauss).

Schools should not be forced to break the law to help advance their students to cross the

imaginary finish line to receive their diploma and continue a further education. Standardized

tests only create chaos and a stressful atmosphere for all those who are involved, therefore many

questions arise such as; is standardized testing still valid? Are standardized tests truly needed to

prove a students growth in the American public system? Were the 11 Atlanta teachers innocent

for their crimes? There are too many questions, with very little answers.

On the other hand, standardized tests have been noted to have some positive impacts in

some school environments. For example, there are three main points that can be taken into

consideration. One being schools can see whether a child is at grade level and how he/she is

performing compared to other children in the next class, across the state, or even the country. The

tests can also be used as a measuring tool when it comes to minorities being surpassed by

caucasian students, and it allows for schools to alter their focuses to find a more balanced way to

teach. Now a third and equally important point to make is that of, the tests allow for parents to

make informed choices on where to send their kids based on their educational level to make for a

comfortable learning experience for said child. Now sure, that sounds very nice, but compared to

the other given statistics are those three small reasons really worth all the hassle? Take the

second one for example, it doesnt matter who you are only where you are. Wealthier

neighborhoods tend to have a better educational system overall since they have the fundings to

do so. The first example that was given can also be interpreted to a different degree.

Standardized tests shouldnt be the only way to monitor a kids learning, its just the lazy way to

do so. If a parent or guardian cared enough about their childs education theyd pay attention
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enough to see if theyre doing well. That same reason can also tie into the third example based

around a comfortable learning environment.

It is no secret that Americas future lies with its youth. Schools need to make changes

such as aligning their curriculums with standards, implementing mentorship programs and no

failure policies to boost student morale and confidence, recognizing successful educational

strategies and implementing them, allotting more time for academic studies, and providing

experts and support to schools that need assistance in meeting the goals of NCLB. It should be

our top priority to support the growth and development of these children with a rich, varied, and

challenging education. Unfortunately the system we have in place now is not the most effective,

because standardized testing in American school systems influences poor learning environments

and is not a reliable source of measuring our childrens education.

Works Cited

Churchill, Aaron. Bless the tests: Three reasons for standardized testing, Thomas B.

Fordham Institute, 18 Mar. 2015, https://edexcellence.net/articles/bless-the-tests-three-reasons-

for-standardized-testing. Accessed 16 Feb. 2017.

Davidson, Cathy. Customized and Participatory Learning. Exploring Connections:

Learning in the 21st Century, Pearson, 2016, pp. 49-54.

Ford, Donna Y. Intelligence Testing and Cultural Diversity, University of Vanderbilt,

Dec. 2005
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Gallagher, Carole J. Reconciling a Tradition of Testing with a New Learning Paradigm.

Educational Psychology Review, vol. 15, no. 1, 2003, pp. 8399., www.jstor.org/stable/23361535

Gandy, Latasha. Dont Believe the Hype: Standardized Tests Are Good for Children,

Families and Schools, Education Post, 11 Jan. 2016, educationpost.org/dont-believe-the-hype-

standardized-tests-are-good-for-children-families-and-schools/. Accessed 14 Feb. 2017.

Popham, W. James. Why Standardized Tests Don't Measure Educational Quality, ASCD,

Mar. 1999, www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar99/vol56/num06/Why-

Standardized-Tests-Don%27t-Measure-Educational-Quality.aspx. Accessed 14 Feb. 2017.

Quinlan, Casey. Why We Need To Improve Standardized Testing, Think Progress, 2 Feb.

2016, Accessed 14 Feb. 2017.

Strauss, Valerie. "How and Why Convicted Atlanta Teachers Cheated on Standardized

Tests." The Washington Post. WP Company, 01 Apr. 2015. Web. 16 Feb. 2017.
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