Preview

Standardized Tests Strengths And Weaknesses

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
517 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Standardized Tests Strengths And Weaknesses
Although there are few benefits of standardized tests, it does offer important data. One benefit is how it measures students’ and teachers’ strengths and weaknesses. Standardized tests are given out to measure teacher’s effectiveness in the classroom and a student’s success. The results are then compared amongst others who took the same test. If a student got a higher or lower score than the “standard” score on the test, then that is considered his or her strength or weakness. A teacher can then make an adjustment to the curriculum, that would focus on the student’s weaknesses. If every student is having the same issue in the same subject area, then that shows the teacher that he or she needs to reevaluate and make an adjustment to the lesson plan (Aycock). For those who like standardized tests, these assessments are more than just tests. President Obama says that “In moderation, smart, strategic tests can help us measure our kids’ progress in school, and it can help them learn,” (Layton). The most important reason standardized tests are …show more content…
First, standardized tests put too much pressure on both students and teachers. The number of standardized tests that students are required to pass has exploded recently. Per a new study the Council of the Great City Schools found that “A typical student takes 112 mandated standardized tests between pre-kindergarten classes and 12th grade.” (Layton). Children as young has 10 years old feel pressure to pass their exams because they know that it’s a factor in admission to middle school (Wallace.) These tests are taking the joy out of teaching and learning. That is requiring teachers to spend too much time preparing their students for the tests rather than teaching. In fact, Alberto Carvalho Miami Dade-County Super-Intendent said that he believes that standardized tests are “abusive of both teacher and student time.”

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Standardized testing has been a heavily debated topic for many years because it is not evident if testing is more beneficial or detrimental for children or schools. There are many pros and cons associated with the use of standardized testing. Most educators agree that there needs to be a method of accountability for schools and school districts. However, the question remains, are students tested too much? Additionally, to what extent can a standardize test assess students achievement? Some states use alternative methods of assessment. President Obama pledged to reduce the amount of standardized testing in our schools mainly because it is clear that standardized testing has not improved student achievement in the United States. Standardized…

    • 272 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Michelle Obama once said, “If my future were determined just by my performance on a standardized test, I would not be here. I guarantee you that.” Standardized testing began a long time ago in China. It was a basic form to determine the eligibility for positions in the government of the ruling class. A standardized test is an analysis that is overseen and scored in a scheduled manner. In 2001 President George W. Bush passed the ‘No Child Left Behind’ education reform which expanded the state mandated standardized testing and assesses the schools performance. Standardized testing is not a proper way to measure the abilities of students. Students will take so many standardized tests that they become…

    • 1419 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    When going to school students are supposed to learn based off a curriculum, but instead they are learning based off a test. These test are meant to help students, but instead they are hurting them. Standardized test requires all test takers to answer the same questions, or a selection of questions from common bank of questions, in the same way. Also they are scored in a “standard” or consistent manner, which makes it possible to compare the relative performance of individual students or groups of students. Each state has a different name for their standardized test, for Virginia they call theirs the Standards Of Learning, SOL’s. These test are neither fair nor objective, puts pressure on the students, and it cuts off time in the school year.…

    • 1488 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Standardized tests have existed in America since 1800s. The tests are ubiquitous attempt to measure students’ performance based on his or her ability to come up with a singular answer to multiple choice questions. A major problem with this is that all students learn differently and their ability to take the standardized test is not a valid representation. The “No Child Left Behind Act” caused a surge in the amount of standardized tests required throughout the nation. The results of these standardized testing showed that America was in the 31st position in the world in the level of education. This is reflected in our school system, which is most likely caused by the misunderstanding of the standardized testing. Standardized testing limits…

    • 220 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    They focus on important, core classes and they show a summary of a student’s knowledge on these subjects. Standardized tests have multiple subjects to see how well a student does in each of the different sections. They also have different subjects so students will have a fair chance in getting a high score compared to all the other students. Standardized tests are not an accurate measurement of a student’s performance. Standardized test only focus on the main core classes, but many students excel in classes like business, art, or music (Hudlow). The students that do better in these different classes may look incompetent compared to other students. Even though these students are truly smart, just in different categories, they look the opposite because standardized tests do not vary…

    • 545 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Standardized testing has been embedded in children from the time they first enter kindergarten all the way through grade school and high school years and finally ending in college and graduate school. It has become so frequent that it is no longer questioned why these tests are necessary, and by the time a person is finally through with school, they have taken an average of twenty to twenty-two tests. Although countless generations of Americans have had to sit through these tests, never have they played such a prominent role in schooling. Usually these exams were used to administer a child’s performance in the classroom and what he or she has learned so far, along with where…

    • 1728 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    From showing where students, teachers, and even schools need to improve to providing stress to the students and teachers. Standardized tests do many great things for the students by allowing them to compare themselves to others and see areas needing improvement. Teachers can realize what needs a little more focus on the next year and what they taught well. Schools can realize what they may need to improve on as well. Overall, standardized tests bring very good things to students, teachers, and schools, and should be taken by everyone for their own…

    • 781 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Does all society know standardized testing robs their children from their childhoods? State governments use a horrible and unfair resources to measure different student’s achievements. Other than stressing out the students, the tests only measure a small portion of essential education. State governments should allow school districts to replace standardized testing with authentic tests for each student to ensure individual success. Standardized testing is an undependable and an unfair resource to be used for measuring student performance, and it does not show improvement in student achievement. Not all students have the same abilities to take the same standardized test. In conclusion, state governments should replace standardized…

    • 1246 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    A huge drawback to standardized testing is the stress it causes among students. For example, according to Dawn Neely-Randall, who has been teaching for over 24 years in Ohio schools, states that implemented tests have required 5th graders to undergo almost 8 hours of testing in just one week. One of Neely-Randalls students couldn’t handle the stress and broke down in the middle of one of the tests. Many students, including Neely-Randalls 5th graders, consider standardized tests unnecessarily…

    • 582 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    One hundred and thirteen, that’s the number of standardized tests the average student takes from prekindergarten to twelfth grade according to preliminary research conducted by the Council of the Great City Schools (Helfing para.9). If that seems a little extreme to you, you are not alone. Standardized testing has become an increasingly common way to measure anything from student knowledge to the effectiveness of the school, especially after the initiation of policies such as No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and Race To The Top (RTTT). But at what costs? Standardized testing has become a million dollar industry, yet it does not consistently measure student or the quality of education. However, the stress placed on the scores of these test negatively affect students and schools across America.…

    • 581 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Standardized tests are defined by W. James Popham, former president of the American Educational Research Association, as "Any test that's administered, scored, and interpreted in a standard, predetermined manner." Standardized tests have been part of school systems since the 1800`s.(Standardized) Their use skyrocketed after 2002's No Child Left Behind (NCLB) mandated annual testing in all 50 states. Standardized testing confuses some students and the amount of testing can stress them out, leaving them to get bad grades on them denying them certain things like scholarships and grants or even the ability to move up a grade level. Standardized testing should not represent the students of America competence.…

    • 735 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Imagine our little brothers, sisters, or even our children having hard times learning at school. Now imagine them not being able to proceed to the next level of their education because they scored low on one of their tests. Standardized testing has been around for centuries; since the 1800’s to be exact, and every year since then the average success rate in the US for students K-12 has decreased. It doesn’t take doing research on success rates to know that the world we live in today is not at the educational level it once was. School should be something people look forward to not something they dread. We should eliminate standardized testing in the US because not everyone learns the same way.…

    • 1284 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Standardized testing has become the focus of modern school reform since the implementation of the No Child Left Behind law in 2002 (Evans 1). The act was designed to hold all public schools to a high standard of education, measured by the results of students’ test scores on statewide standardized tests. Not all students are good test takers, and not all careers require the ability to take traditional tests in order to be successful on the job. A significant number of students nowadays would care much about standardized tests. This is because students feel like they must worry about a test which directly affects their grades and ability to learn. Standardized tests place a heavy weight on students that can lead to stress, take up instruction timing, and students won’t be able to learn anything from them.…

    • 407 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    An American educator who was examining the British educational system once asked a headmaster why so little standardized testing took place in British schools. "My dear fellow," came the reply, "In Britain we are of the belief that, when a child is hungry, he should be fed, not weighed" (Bowers 1). Even though this quote can be construed as being comical and light-hearted, the anecdote suggests the obvious question: "Why do we do so much standardized testing in the United States?" Standardized testing places incredible amounts of stress on teachers and school administrators, as well as the students taking the tests who are afraid that if they don't pass this exam, they might not be able to graduate. Standardized testing does not take in to…

    • 1374 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Standardized testing

    • 1747 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Standardized testing is something you're bound to come across in public schools as soon as first grade. I remember taking test after test as a public school student, and I can't really say I ever got anything out of it. These tests are putting so much pressure on teachers and students a like. A bunch of old men sitting around a table who've never even stepped foot in my school can make a test and say that it evaluates what students have learned as a whole. The problem with standardized testing, its just that, its standardized. Humans strive by working with their peers, giving them the chance to directly feed off of what others are thinking. However this is being pushed aside by the hustle and bustle of teaching a multiple choice test. Standardized testing is being over used and abused. How we are testing, who we are testing, why we are testing. We need to evaluate if its really worth all the money and trouble in the end. According to the teachers on the receiving end these tests seem to be doing more harm than help. Teachers feel they are just teaching a multiple choice test now to assure that their students do well. Testing also takes money, resulting in many districts cutting programs such as arts. Standardized testing is also a money making business, someone out there needs to sell these tests to your school district so they can take a pay check home. Most teachers have a negative attitude about testing because it bring more heartache than help. This needs to be evaluated to assure that we are getting some positive useful information out of our tests.…

    • 1747 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays