Molly Grice

English 1201

Professor Dunham

14 April 2019

Effects of Standardized Testing

Imagine a student walking into a testing center, with their heart pacing and

sweaty palms, knowing that the score they receive could change everything. Or imagine

routinely taking a test that can forever impact the life of a student in many ways.

Students must face and go through this unbearable challenge year after year, like

clockwork. These tests determine if a student can graduate, which then determines if

the student can go to college and receive a better education, to get a higher quality job.

These same tests also reflect on the teachers, the school district, the state, and the

country as a whole. With simply one score, everything could come tumbling down.

“These tests” is referring to the standardized tests that kindergarteners through twelfth

graders must complete. With the stakes so high and everything remaining in the

balance of one score, many teachers and students experience physical and mental

health issues due to standardized testing. Standardized testing should be prohibited

because of the negative effects it has on students, teachers, and schools, and because

these tests are extremely unfair and don’t set students up for success.

In 2001, congress introduced a new act. This act was aimed at assisting

disadvantaged students. This initiative was passed with the hopes of ensuring students

across the country receive a similar educational quality. The “Common Core”, as it is

called, also introduced students to standardized testing. Ever since George Walker
Bush passed this Act, eighteen years ago proponents of educational change have

endorsed aptitude testing, school selection, and accountability as ways to further

improve education. This means holding teachers and school districts accountable to

what is on the Common Core standards, and punishing them when the standards are

not met is an acceptable way to enhance education (Ravitch 1).

Teachers, school administrators, and school districts face the stress and

pressure given from standardized tests. Ever since 2001 when the educational reform

act (NCLB) was put into place, teachers have changed the way that they’ve taught.

Their method is called “teaching to the test.” This method can be best described as due

to the stress placed on teachers from standardized tests, it encourages teachers to

teach only tested standards (Zimmer 1). With teachers knowing that their students’

scores reflect back on them, many teachers spend a lot of time preparing their students

for what will be on the standardized tests. For an average eighth grade student, 2.3

percent of classroom time is geared towards standardized testing. This may not seem

like a lot of time, but every year students are standardized testing. So the 2.3 percent

really adds up over the twelve years an average student is in school. Teachers again,

feel the most pressure and stress from the fact that their students’ scores reflect back

on them. Students’ scores can affect a teacher’s job or salary. The lack of job stability

and control over the classroom is one of the major stress factors among teachers. Tim

Zimmer states for The Classroom, “Educators feel major emphasis on increasing pupils’

standardized test scores. This stress comes from their school and their administrators.

This was discovered in audit results from a poll given to members of the National

Education Association (NEA)” (Zimmer 4). Knowing that their job or salary remains in
the balance of their students’ scores, it adds a lot of unneeded stress on teachers.

Teachers also believe putting a huge emphasis on improving test scores negatively

impacts the classroom. Because of this, many National Education Association (45%)

members are contemplating finding other professions outside of teaching because of

the emphasis placed on standardized tests. Teachers also fear the punishment they will

receive if their students’ test scores are bad. It puts stress not only on students, but

teachers as well to perform better. As mentioned above, education reformers have

supported accountability and teacher punishment based on students’ scores. This

shows that education reformers believe the best way to improve education and test

scores is to punish teachers. However, with 45 percent of teachers considering to leave

the profession, this ideology doesn’t seem to be working. If anything, this shows that

standardized testing hurts our teachers and schools, more than it helps.

Students are also impacted by standardized testing. These tests affect a

student’s mental and physical health, as well as their life and education. With the

pressure and stress of knowing they need a certain score in order to graduate, all of the

weight falls on the students’ shoulders. With this kind of stress, it can lead to an

unhealthy diet and negative feelings toward school. It also results in less willingness to

learn and try new things, which in the end worsens a student’s ability to score well on a

standardized test. This unneeded stress on students to perform well causes them to

dread standardized testing day. Also, the stress given from these tests will never go

away, for students are always taking standardized tests. It is said that a student will be

given approximately 112 tests before graduating from high school. Pressure from the

school district and administration to perform at a certain level also gives students grief.
For when a student perceives someone as controlling the outcome of mandated tests, it

causes them to question their abilities. Students feel as though they need to receive a

certain score and when they don’t achieve that score, it causes them to doubt. Critics of

standardized testing believe determining if a student can graduate from one test score,

is absurd. With the never-ending pressure to perform well and to make the school

district happy, students are often left feeling frustrated.

Not only do standardized tests put stress and pressure on students, it also

doesn’t set them up for success. The Common Core is damaging students’ college

readiness, for in recent years the SAT and ACT scores have dropped. Joy Pullmann for

The James G. Martin Center For Academic Renewal says, “Wurman states that since

around 2009 overall scores on the ACT have dropped, and the scores obtained on the

SAT have declined as well” (Pullman 13). Results like these, are making educators and

parents question how well the standards are setting students up for college. College

readiness is on the decline due to senior high school students reading primarily 70%

nonfiction compared to only 30% fiction and this is because of the new standards.

Experts looking at factors aiding in making students ready for college suggest that when

the English curriculum prioritizes nonfiction over the study of complex texts they are

finding a decrease. These scholars have research to show that graduates who are most

prepared for college have more exposure to the literary classics. This means that

students will read less Shakespeare and more informational material such as federal

administrative orders. Also, standardized testing is setting students up to take average

classes. More students today are taking less honors or advanced placement classes.

This is with a drop from thirty-three percent to twenty-nine percent of eighth graders
enrolled in Algebra I. This is largely due to the Common Core expecting high school

students to only have completed a partial Algebra II course. Taking Algebra 1 in 8th

grade has been eliminated as an option in the Common Core standards. Thus,

impacting students who want a career or college degree in science or math. Students

are also missing out on valuable education in the arts and sciences due to the Common

Core. Since history, science, and art aren’t tested on, they get squeezed out of the

curriculum. This is not fair for students who don’t accelerate in subjects such as, reading

and math. The Common Core is not giving students who succeed in history, science, or

art the opportunity to shine. Even Common Core advocate Professor Jason Zimba

argues that this national program is setting students up for average colleges, not the

elite or selective ones student’s parents aspire for them to attend. With dropping ACT

and SAT scores, less students in advanced classes, more nonfiction reading, and the

missing of history, science and art in the curriculum, students today are not adequately

prepared for college.

Figure 1: The extraction of art from the curriculum from "What’s Not Tested Is Not

Taught." Remixing College English. WordPress, 17 May 2013. Web. 3 Oct. 2014

Figure one supports the idea mentioned above, that subjects such as art, history

and science are cut from the curriculum. This image shows a girl longing for the arts

and P.E. which can be found outside of the classroom. It also shows the teacher telling
the girl she needs to come away from the window, unless she wants to be left behind.

This is because what is not tested is not taught. Since subjects like art and history are

not tested, they take a back seat to math and English. As mentioned previously, this is

unfair for students who don’t quite necessarily accelerate in those subjects. Proving that

standardized testing can be unfair.

Standardized tests are also not fair for each student. Critics of standardized

testing find a high correlation between test scores and family income. According to

recent studies, wealthier students score in the top 50 percent while students from low

income families score below that threshold. (Wexler 3). Income of the parents correlates

to test scores. Parents who have the ability to hire tutors and to send their children to

better schools for more thorough test preparation, generally do better on these type of

exams. It’s because of enriching experiences like these and parental education as to

why well-off students can more likely gather the knowledge needed to pass the reading

or math standardized test. Studies have also been conducted to support the idea that

the gap in test scores has increased with disparities in revenue (Wexler 3). Natalie

Wexler for Forbes provides the reader with a study already done, “Earlier this year the

Washington Post spoke to an educational analyst and even though there were gains on

exam results at a few local impoverished schools, that didn’t change the fact that less

than 5 percent of enrollment would have been classified as proficient or higher” (Wexler

3). Students from low income families do not have the same opportunities as well-off

students, when it comes to standardized testing. This is because, their parents cannot

afford the same enriching experiences that children from well-off families will get to

experience. As mentioned above, another reason these tests are not fair is because
subjects like history and science are squeezed out of the curriculum. This is not good

for students who don’t accelerate in subjects like math and English. For some students,

standardized testing is not setting them up for success.

Figure 2: Correlation Between Income and SAT scores from Strachan, Maxwell. "The

Maddening Truth About SAT Scores." The Huffington Post. The Huffington Post, 6 Mar.

2014. Web. 1 Oct. 2014

Figure two supports Wexler’s idea that well off students score better on

standardized tests than low income students. The graph shows that families that make

between $0-$20,000 a year, their student’s mean score in all subjects including writing,

critical reading, and mathematics is around 500 on the SAT. Whereas, families that

make over $200,000 a year is more likely to score around 600 in all subjects. SAT

scores are higher in children where the family is wealthy. This results in more stress for

students from low income families to score well. It also puts pressure on teachers to

properly teach and prepare students for what will be covered on tests like the SAT and

other standardized tests. For when a student doesn’t score well it could reflect back on

the teachers.

Along with the majority of schools, teachers, and students, parents also disagree

with standardized testing. In a recent study done by the Gallup Survey of the Public’s

Attitudes Toward the Public Schools, they found that Americans feel that more
educational funding is preferred over aptitude testing. The study concluded that 67

percent of parents of public school students agree that there is too much attention

placed on testing and 66 percent of parents do not feel that test scores should be a

direct indicator of how a teacher is performing his/her job. Only 14 percent favored

standardized exams. Parents also face the stress and pressure from these tests. For

example, when a parent sees low scores from their student, they feel pressured to

provide tutoring to help increase their scores. This can also put stress on the family if

they cannot afford the tutoring or help the student needs to advance.

Some people may disagree with this overall argument. They believe it gives

students the opportunity to set themselves apart for college. For high schools that don’t

have a lot of advanced courses or extracurricular activities then tests like the ACT, SAT,

or standardized tests are beneficial for helping students set themselves apart. If a

student scores high on one of those three tests, it shows that the students has a lot of

potential, is intelligent, and is motivated to keep learning. For students who go to highly

competitive schools, it gives them the chance to demonstrate they are qualified. Critics

also believe that standardized testing provides colleges with objective data when

looking at students. Standardized testing acts as an equalizing force or an equal playing

field for all students who want to attend college. These tests give college objective data

to consider when looking or comparing students. It also helps colleges and universities

set acceptance requirements like a certain GPA, ACT score, or SAT score. The

Common Core was created with the hopes of creating equal quality of education for

students across the country, so this gives colleges a fair look at all students. Another

thing people who agree with standardized testing believe is that these tests have
improved teacher effectiveness. According to The Room 241 Team for Concordia

University Oregon, “Over the past 5 years, 37 states have shown improvement in

scores by at least one full level due to the education reform, especially in concentrations

of teacher evaluation and policies around teacher effectiveness”(Team 12). The

Common Core standards and standardized testing help improve a teacher’s

effectiveness because as mentioned above, teachers use the method called teaching

for the test.

However, there are many reasons why the above counter arguments don’t

outweigh the negatives. First, 72 percent of teachers have felt medium to the uttermost

pressure from standardized testing to improve scores. This has since resulted in 45

percent of teachers considering leaving the profession due to the stress given from

these tests. Teachers feel the tension from these tests because the student’s scores

reflect back on them, it’s like the teacher’s name is tied to the student’s results. Because

the students’ scores reflect back on the teacher, it creates a lack of job stability and

fluctuates the salary. This is also another reason why the number of teachers

considering leaving the profession is so high. Teachers also feel pressure from these

tests knowing that they will receive a punishment if the students’ scores are low. This is

because education reformers believe punishing teachers will improve test scores and

the overall education system, which is false. Second, standardized tests cause

students’ self-esteem to go down, for when the student doesn’t receive the score

desired it makes them question their abilities. Standardized testing also affects a

student’s diet and willingness to learn. Because of the stress, student’s start to

accumulate an unhealthy diet and start to dread school. Therefore, this creates a
negative school environment which doesn’t produce the high scores wanted on

standardized tests. Third, standardized tests are not setting students up for success.

Just six years after the passing of The No Child Left Behind Act, ACT and SAT scores

have both dropped. Also, subjects such as art, history, and science have since been

squeezed out of the curriculum. This doesn’t allow students who accelerate in history or

science to show their abilities and talents. Fourth, standardized tests are also not fair for

each student. There have been many studies and research done to show that students

from well-off families score in the upper 50% of all scores submitted, while students

from low income families usually score lower than that. This is because low income

families cannot afford the same enriching experiences or tutors like well-off families can.

If standardized tests are not fair for each student then the tests should be banned.

Lastly, parents also don’t agree with standardized testing. It is said that only fourteen

percent of parents are in favor of the tests. Majority of parents would like to see less

testing and more school funding. So even though standardized testing may improve a

teacher’s effectiveness, give students the opportunity to shine, and create equal

standards for colleges to look at, the positives definitely do not outweigh the negatives.

In conclusion, due to the negative impacts on students, teachers, and schools

standardized testing should be banned. Standardized testing affects the mental and

physical health of students, puts extreme pressure and stress on teachers to improve

test scores, doesn’t prepare students to attend elite colleges, squeezes certain subjects

like art out of the curriculum, isn’t fair for students from low income families, and only

fourteen percent of parents are in favor of it. Without standardized testing, students and

teachers would benefit from a better mental and physical health, and an overall better
quality of life.

Works Cited

Pullmann, Joy. “How Common Core Damages Students' College Readiness.”

The James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal, 29 May 2017,

www.jamesgmartin.center/2017/03/common-core-damages-students-college-

readiness/. 3 Mar. 2019

Ravitch, Diane. “The Common Core Costs Billions and Hurts Students.” The New

York Times, The New York Times, 23 July 2016,

www.nytimes.com/2016/07/24/opinion/sunday/the-common-core-costs-billions-

and-hurts-students.html. 3 Mar. 2019

Strachan, Maxwell. "The Maddening Truth About SAT Scores." The Huffington

Post. The Huffington Post, 6 Mar. 2014. Web. 1 Oct. 2014

Strauss, Valerie. “Common Core Reading Pros and Cons.” The Washington

Post, WP Company, 4 Dec. 2012, www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-

sheet/wp/2012/12/04/common-core-reading-pros-and-

cons/?utm_term=.7308721c3f5a. 3 Mar. 2019

The Room 241 Team. “Do Standardized Tests Accurately Show Students'

Abilities?”Concordia University-Portland, 5 May 2018, education.cu-

portland.edu/blog/news/do-standardized-test-show-an-accurate-view-of-students-

abilities/. 3 Mar. 2019

Wexler, Natalie. “What To Do About Standardized Tests.”

Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 15 Nov.2018,

www.forbes.com/sites/nataliewexler/2018/11/15/what-to-do-about-standardized-

tests/#52de60c63074

What’s Not Tested Is Not Taught." Remixing College English. Wordpress, 17

May 2013. Web. 3 Oct. 2014

Winslow, Samantha. “Interview: A Teacher Decodes Common Core.” Labor

Notes, 7 July 2015, www.labornotes.org/2014/07/interview-teacher-decodes-

common-core. 3 Mar. 2019

Zimmerman, Tim. “The Effects of Standardized Tests on Teachers and

Students.” The Classroom, 3 Mar. 2019 www.theclassroom.com/effects-

standardized-tests-teachers-students-10379.html