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Sara Solano

Teaching in America

Professor Diana Aria

May 4, 2020

Standardized Testing

Standardized tests were developed to measure student mastery of grade level

standards. Like standards standardized test came about due to the need for an education

reform. The data collected was and is used to compare student achievements nationally and

internationally. The primary goal was to use the data collected to fix the “mediocre”

educational system and reduce the achievement gaps that existed between white affluent

children and children who were poor and or of an ethnic minority.

Fixing the U.S. educational system became of utmost importance due to economic

reasons. Our country was falling behind others in many industries and education was to blame.

Many American students were considered underachievers compared to international students

and the U.S. no longer had jobs to accommodate them. We were a “Nation at Risk” of failure

and that had to be remedied. Changes were made but without much result. Standardized tests

continued to reflect educational gaps so the federal government stepped in and passed the

legislation “No Child Left Behind”. This legislation mandated that all states create standards and

standardized testing. States who didn’t meet the demands and failed to achieve “adequately

yearly progress” faced sanctions. Afraid of the consequences many states and school districts

lowered their standards and the “cut offs” and let students with low achievements pass. Due to
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the unfortunate outcome the federal government became further involved and imposed

Common Core Standards.

Consequently, as a result of the new added pressures standardized test that hold

students and teachers accountable with detrimental consequences were developed. High-

stakes tests often became the sole determinant of whether or not a student graduates, moves

on to the next grade, gets placed in an advanced class. For teachers, students’ score can

determine if they get a pay raise, if they get tenure, or if they even get to keep their job. This is

problematic because there are many ways that a student can demonstrate their capabilities.

One assessment should not be used to make these determinations because there many factors

that can influence a student’s scores negatively.

Teaching and learning have been dramatically impacted by standardized tests. Teachers

feel obligated to adapt their curriculum around it spending many hours preparing for the test

which can be “mind numbing”. Teacher and student creativity are stifled. Teachers have to

focus only on specific subjects and neglect others and that results of depriving students of a

well-rounded education. Standardized are lengthy and the many hours spend on taking them

means less time spent in the classroom learning. This problem intensified when the competition

“Race to the Top” was offered to schools. Race to the Top is a four billion-dollar U.S.

Department of Education competition that offered school states monetary rewards for

implementing plans that would improve education. Because testing is the main means of

teacher evaluation more standardized testing was developed for subjects such as science,

languages, and even PE. Testing has become so overwhelming that the average American

student takes 112 mandated standardized tests.

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The negative effects of the misuse of standardized testing have surpassed the benefits

and it’s time to cut back. Many teachers tired of the pressures are transferring from

underachieving schools where they are needed the most. Despite all standardized testing the

U.S. has not yet reached educational goals. It is proven that countries that are ranking higher

that the U.S. don’t take nearly as many tests. In fact, Finland the number one ranking country in

the world only takes one standardized test before high school graduation. For these reasons,

many states are taking steps to cut back. Annual testing is federal law and will not go away, at

least not any time soon but innovative states are looking into new ideas to improve the current

testing status.