Standardized Testing

Is standardized testing improving our students’ academic achievement level? Or is it causing several high schools around the world to have a lower graduation rate? I personally feel that there should be no standardized test that determines if students graduate and receive their diploma. Causing stress on our teachers, lowering graduation rates, and putting at risk students at a higher risk is three of several reasons why standardized testing should no longer be permitted in our schools. All teachers have high standards for their students and expect them to succeed in anything they do. However, several teachers disagree with learning being measured by a single standardized test. Most of the material on the standardized test was briefly taught to the students which forces teachers to squeeze necessary material in a short amount of time. Studies show that several teachers are leaving public schools, feeling their talents are better utilized in private schools because test preparation did not rule the curriculum. Every teacher teaches differently causing students to learn differently. So therefore, there should be no test that determines if a teacher is capable of teaching under school boards standards. In the state of Texas, the graduation rate is currently 78.9 percent. Statistics show that that rate could go up to 92.5 percent if students were not required to take a standardized test in order to graduate. If a student passes every course I believe that one test should not hold them back from receiving their diploma. Not every student is a good test taker which means not every student will take the standardized test and succeed on it. Knowing that the test their taking determines if they graduate puts stress on students causing them to unsuccessfully take their test. Also, not all teachers teach the same causing some students to have a better knowledge of the material than others. Every high school contains several students that are considered as an at risk student. Like I have previously stated before, every teacher wants their students to succeed no matter what. Unfortunately, learning and test taking is not as easy for some students as it is for others causing several students to be considered as an at risk student. Forcing students to take a standardized test makes it that much harder for at risk students to receive their diploma and graduate. Many students have different learning abilities and one student should not be penalized due to a single standardized test. I do not believe that academic achievement will improve by requiring high school students to pass a standardized test before being awarded a diploma. If a student has a GPA of a 3.5 they should not be held back just because they failed a single test. Standardized testing does not show what students are truly capable of. Causing stress upon teachers, lowering graduation rates, and putting at risk students at a higher risk are three reasons why standardized testing should no longer be a determining factor between receiving your diploma or not receiving your diploma.