Stanardized testing of what standard?

Standardized Testing of What Standard? Are schools educating students based on what they will use in life, or teaching to fit the needs of a few tests? Currently, schools use standardized testing as a baseline to determine students’ level of ability. Many state required tests are used to allow students to move to the next level class or even use the scores to get into college, but colleges have come to a point where they are pushing away from requiring any special test score. Knowing schools change curriculum in order for students to score higher, are students getting fully educated based on more than subjects on state required tests? The purpose of all standardized tests vary. These tests can assist schools in allowing students to move on to a new class, it can. On the other hand, students who are poor test takers, whether that is speed, or simply anxiety getting the best of them, can appear not intelligent enough. Which isn’t the case, students who don’t do as well on tests that are based on things they don’t always use, is not a good representation of their abilities. About 5.6 million students suffer from anxiety in the US today, this can cause students not to perform well. Professor at UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies and a former test maker, known as an expert on testing by PBS, James Popham, agrees with the tests poor performance ratings. Popham argues that the quality of education in the United States has declined. Because of standardized testing, students are not getting educated based on valuable information. Now the use of these tests has consumed the education system. The National Education Association states, around 70% of professional educators have drawn the same conclusions on these tests. Along with the fact that it puts students in a mental and emotional distress. Stress, inaccurate data, and reduced education are caused by these state required tests. Why do we continue to use these tests? Yes they give a baseline, however it is flawed. Intelligence can be based on other things in the classroom, like students’ understanding during lessons, quizzes, projects, assignments, and the overall respect and maturity of the student. Allowing schools to switch to other methods in finding a baseline may reduce stress on everyone and allow students to learn more than what they’ll be tested on.

Ashley Storme,

East Berlin