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Claire Meyers

Mr. Ventura

1530 JCC English

11 January 2021

Limiting the Use of Standardized Testing

An important controversy of the 21st century is the debate regarding whether or not

standardized testing should continue. This issue has been debated since the mid-1900s when

standardized testing was created. The issue has grown increasingly controversial in recent years.

The purpose of standardized tests is to create an “‘assurance of learning’” (qtd. in Black and

Duhon 91). Standardized testing is often used as a specific method of evaluating both student and

teacher performance. The issue of whether standardized tests, specifically the SAT and ACT,

should continue and the extent to which the results should be used has been debated for many

years. Those on one side of this debate believe these tests are not the best way to gage student

performance and an alternative method should be instituted (Goral). Another side of the

controversy believes that standardized tests are the best way to judge student development and

the efficiency of the courses being taught (Black and Duhon 90-98). Colleges and universities

have started to become test optional because different racial and socioeconomic backgrounds can

cause a variance in test scores, therefore, test scores are not necessarily reliable (Baker and

Rosinger). Measures should be taken to conclude the debate with a finalized decision of

continuing standardized tests, but limiting the extent to which the scores are used. During

President Biden’s term, the Federal Government should make the decision to withhold funding to

Post-Secondary Education Institutions that refuse to make the SAT and ACT optional for both

admissions and financial aid purposes.

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Some believe that continuing the SAT and ACT is important, and others believe that

these tests should come to an end. Those that believe these tests should continue, have this

opinion because they see the ACT and SAT as ways to differentiate between students; “as high-

school GPAs continue to go up because of grade inflation, having the common measure provided

by admissions test scores is useful” (Kuncel and Sackett). They think these tests help educational

institutions to determine “whether learning objectives are being met,” and if these classes do not

meet certain score requirements, “course content may be modified or additional course work may

be added in areas with relatively weak performance” (Black and Duhon 92-96). It may be true

that the ACT and SAT are ways to predict college readiness and determine whether the classes

are meeting their requirements; however, these standardized tests are a uniform way to evaluate

students, and not all students are educated equally for many reasons.

Those that believe these tests should end, have this opinion because of the variance in

standardized test scores, and “until they address the issues involving why children may not be

doing well, and come up with a better means to test accountability than an exam, those scores

probably won’t improve” (“Schools are Putting Too Much”). Those against testing believe flaws

exist; flaws that need to be fixed before the tests can continue. Associate Professor Richard

Greggory Johnson III believes that in reference to the SAT, “the same problems that have

historically plagued the test will remain in the updated version, and that the exam isn’t needed at

all” (Goral). It may be true that the ACT and SAT have problems, and many reasons exist as to

why their results can be skewed; however, these types of standardized tests need to continue

because colleges use test scores to sort through numerous applicants and narrow down the

applications that need to be reviewed further (Kuncel and Sackett). Though the ACT and SAT
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should not stop being administered, that does not mean the results of these tests should have a

major influence on student life.

Many factors have an effect on the scores of the ACT and SAT tests, and these create a

variation in the test results; thus supporting the fact that standardized test scores should only be

used on a limited scale. Standardized testing is supposed to be a uniform way to evaluate all

different types of students and the knowledge they have obtained throughout their academic

careers; however, not all students and all school systems are equal (Goral). One major influence

on test scores is different socioeconomic backgrounds. Research shows that “about 30-50% of

the gap in pass rates across schools is due to uncontrollable school characteristics, such as

economic status or racial composition of the school’s students” (Hoerandner and Lemke). Not all

school districts teach at the same level and not all students learn in the same way, and because of

these circumstances “the results may vary considerably, and undesirable outcomes, such as low

test scores, may result in some districts” (Hoerandner and Lemke). Certain school districts have

to face different and “unequal challenges,” and this causes their level of education to be lower

than that of school districts who are more privileged (Hoerandner and Lemke). Not all students

have the same economic status, and this leads to different levels of preparation, which can cause

a wide range in scores (Goral).

Another factor that contributes to a variance in test scores is the different racial

backgrounds of students. In reference to this fact, “pass rates are expected to fall significantly as

the percent of students who are black or Hispanic increases, and pass rates fall as school

enrollment increases” (Hoerandner and Lemke). When reviewing test scores from those with

substance abuse issues, it was found that “being under the influence of alcohol at school was

negatively related to a student’s standardized math and reading scores” (DeCamp and Daly).
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Along with substance abuse issues, social characteristics also have an influence, and “lower test

scores and lower grades were predicted by elevated levels of attention problems, negative

behavior of peers, and disruptive and aggressive behavior” (Fleming et al.).

Some colleges and universities are becoming test optional to accommodate for those

students who come from different backgrounds. Colleges say they have started to go test optional

“because they view the exams as biased against disadvantaged minority and low-income students

or they consider high-school GPA to be at least as predictive of college success, if not more so”

(Buckley). Colleges use test scores to sort through numerous applicants and narrow down the

applications that need to be reviewed further (Kuncel and Sackett); however, colleges and

universities want to eliminate the “gaps that persist between the average scores of students of

different races, ethnicities, or socioeconomic backgrounds” (Buckley). When looking at the

relationship between different socioeconomic backgrounds and pass rates, it can be seen that test

scores “fall substantially as the percent of students from low-income households increases”

(Hoerandner and Lemke). When colleges become test optional, it allows those who come from

low-income families to apply to post-secondary educational institutions without the fear of being

rejected simply because of their low SAT or ACT scores.

All Post-Secondary Educational Institutions should go test optional in their admissions

process, as well as for financial aid purposes. Although many see the SAT and ACT as a very

negative and biased form of evaluating students, “when used thoughtfully, as part of a holistic

process, well-designed standardized assessments do not have to be a barrier for disadvantaged

students—they can serve as a neutral yard stick that helps put students’ academic performance in

context” (Buckley). The goal of test optional is to create a more diverse and inclusive admissions

process and college campus. This goal may not always be achieved to its fullest potential;
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however, “test-optional policies at some institutions appear to have expanded campus diversity,

we think there could be benefits for students if public institutions elected to adopt such a policy”

(Baker and Rosinger). It is true that becoming test optional does not help all Post-Secondary

Educational Institutions to become extremely more diverse in reference to their student body, but

if this option were to be implemented at all colleges and universities, the effort may be well

rewarded. To help create a more diverse student population in colleges, a higher reliance has

been set “on other criteria, such as grades, personal essays, and extracurricular activities, to make

their decisions” (Baker and Rosinger).

Overall, the educational system is very complex. The controversy of whether or not

standardized tests, specifically the ACT and SAT, should continue and to what extent the results

should be used has been debated for many years. This debate is ongoing and without any

finalized decisions, the controversy will continue for many years to come. Steps need to be taken

to help make the college admissions process more fair and inclusive. Colleges have become test

optional to create more diverse college campuses, and if all Post-Secondary Educational

Institutions were to follow suit, the factors that influence the ACT and SAT would be less

apparent. Action needs to be taken in order to end this debate; during President Biden’s term, the

Federal Government should make the decision to withhold funding to Post-Secondary Education

Institutions that refuse to make the SAT and ACT optional for both the admissions process and

financial aid purposes.

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Works Cited

Baker, Dominique, and Kelly Rosinger. “TEST OPTIONAL OFFERS BENEFITS BUT IT'S NOT

ENOUGH.” Education Next, vol. 20, no. 3, 2020, p. 67+. Gale Academic OneFile,

link.gale.com/apps/doc/A628405054/AONE?u=sunyjcc&sid=AONE&xid=5c40921.

Accessed 26 Oct. 2020.

Black, H Tyrone, and David L. Duhon. “Evaluating and Improving Student Achievement in

Business Programs: The Effective use of Standardized Assessment Tests.” Journal of

Education for Business, vol. 79, no. 2, Nov/Dec 2003, pp. 90-98. ProQuest, search-

proquest-com.jsrvproxy1.sunyjcc.edu/docview/202819253?accountid=39896. Accessed 20

Oct. 2020.

Buckley, Jack. “STANDARDIZED TESTS CAN SERVE AS A NEUTRAL YARDSTICK.”

Education Next, vol. 20, no. 3, 2020, p. 67+. Gale Academic OneFile,

link.gale.com/apps/doc/A628405053/AONE?u=sunyjcc&sid=AONE&xid=5832f7f0.

Accessed 25 Oct. 2020.

DeCamp, Whitney, and Kevin Daly. “Measuring the Impact of Substance Use on Standardized Test

Score Averages.” Journal of Articles in Support of the Null Hypothesis, vol. 15, no. 2, Feb.

2019, p. 81+. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A583693622/AONE?

u=sunyjcc&sid=AONE&xid=6c23b46. Accessed 20 Oct. 2020.

Fleming, Charles B., et al. “Do Social and Behavioral Characteristics Targeted by Preventive

Interventions Predict Standardized Test Scores and Grades?” Journal of School Health, vol.

75, no. 9, Nov. 2005, p. 342+. Gale Academic OneFile,

link.gale.com/apps/doc/A138656802/AONE?u=sunyjcc&sid=AONE&xid=0239356.

Accessed 20 Oct. 2020.

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Goral, Tim. “The SAT and Social Equity: Revamp or Not, the SAT Has Little Value in Evaluating

Students for College, Professor Says.” District Administration, vol. 50, no. 6, June 2014, p.

12+. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A372553199/AONE?

u=sunyjcc&sid=AONE&xid=76e786b4. Accessed 25 Oct. 2020.

Hoerandner, Claus M., and Robert J. Lemke. “CAN NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND CLOSE THE

GAPS IN PASS RATES ON STANDARDIZED TESTS?” Contemporary Economic

Policy, vol. 24, no. 1, Jan. 2006, pp. 1-17. ProQuest, search-proquest-

com.jsrvproxy1.sunyjcc.edu/docview/274224111?accountid=39896,

doi:dx.doi.org.jsrvproxy1.sunyjcc.edu/10.1093/cep/byj008. Accessed 20 Oct. 2020.

Kuncel, Nathan, and Paul Sackett. “The Truth About the SAT and ACT; Myths Abound about

Standardized Tests, but the Research is Clear: They Provide an Invaluable Measure of how

Students Are Likely to Perform in College and Beyond.” Wall Street Journal (Online), Mar

08, 2018. ProQuest, search-proquest-com.jsrvproxy1.sunyjcc.edu/docview/2011639315?

accountid=39896. Accessed 20 Oct. 2020.

“Schools are Putting Too Much Emphasis on Standardized Tests CLASS ACT A TEACHER'S

VIEW: [ALL Edition].” The Christian Science Monitor, May 11, May 1999, pp. 1.

ProQuest, search-proquest-com.jsrvproxy1.sunyjcc.edu/docview/405651733?

accountid=39896. Accessed 20 Oct. 2020.