Standardized Testing
The main argument for standardized testing is that the tests allow for an accurate, unfiltered measure of what a student knows. However, we at Teacher’s Pet believe that standardized testing is one of the contributing factors for the inadequacy of US public education. This is because standardized testing only reflects how well a student can take a test. These tests do not take into account critical thinking, the student’s demographics/background, nor has it been shown to improve student performance.
First, a bit on the history of standardized testing and how they came to be: Standardized testing has been used since the 1800’s and became a national requirement 1965. In 2001 with the NCLB Act (No Child Left Behind), funding for public schools became tied to how well a school does on standardized testing.
Because the tests are now tied with funding, teachers are encouraged to “teach the test” instead of having the freedom to offer a richer curriculum. Another reason the bonding of scores and money is problematic is because it perpetuates the cycle of poverty in already underfunded schools. This is mainly for two reasons: Schools that are able to pay their teachers more are able to receive better resources and on average do better on tests. The other reason looks at the socioeconomic background of the community around the school. It is proven that children in households facing poverty are less likely to succeed in school.
Looking beyond the funding now, important tests can cause students to experience “test anxiety.” The anxiety surrounding an important test could negatively affect a student’s performance. Furthermore, it teaches students that if they can’t take tests then they are less likely to succeed in the real world. Because students don’t want to fail at these tests they are likely to cheat, cut corners, or even performance enhancing drugs.
If we look at a country like Finland, whose schools are publicly funded, we see that they have moved away from standardized tests with the exception of one voluntary exam at the end of high school. PISA, the Programme for International Student Assessment, has consistently ranked Finland as one of the best school systems in the world. So what do they do instead of standardized testing? In Finland, teachers are the ones that give the individual student assessments using general guidelines. The school system also encourages students to come up with their own measurements for progress. This way, a student’s needs are met on the individual level and the lack of a testing-centered curriculum will give them a chance to receive a more well-rounded education.
Here is a list of alternatives to standardized testing:
- Portfolios
- Game-based assessments
- Social and emotional skills surveys
- Low stakes testing
Thank you for reading! Stay tuned for more to come from Teacher’s Pet, a blog dedicated to addressing the issues public schools face in the US and rallying a community to fix these issues.
Written by: Audrey S.
Edited by: Liberty V.
Sources:
https://incompassinged.com/2019/04/08/why-does-the-us-use-standardized-testing/
https://www.institute4learning.com/2013/02/28/15-reasons-why-standardized-tests-are-worthless-2/
https://247wallst.com/special-report/2021/07/17/the-worst-school-district-in-each-state-3/
https://bigthink.com/the-present/standardized-testing/
https://www.uopeople.edu/blog/alternatives-to-standardized-testing/