State tests are objective and measure student learning. They determine the success of schools, teachers and districts. However, the only objective part of most standardized tests is the scoring by a machine that is accurately programmed. People decide what items to include on the test, how the questions are stated, which items are correct, how the test is administered and how to use the results. State tests determine the reputations of teachers and the quality of schools. They establish the worth of local school districts. And, possibly, used as an excuse for parents to enroll children into private or charter schools.
Standardized Tests For The Good
State tests provide teachers important diagnostic information on what each child learns about the current curriculum. Also, it tests the current curriculum against course requirements and teaching methods. This leads to better teaching and accountability to meet standards. It allows educators to compare scores to students school-wide. And, over time, schools can track student growth and recognize educational needs.
• Testing is part of the learning process. Texting each year creates stronger students. Students learn what they can and cannot do.
• They provide evidence that all students are learning across the U.S.
• Refusing to take the test isn’t a solution because it causes inequity in the school system.
Testing takes up a small portion of the school year, regardless of the claims of taking too much teaching time. Accordingly, the average time used is 1.75 percent.
State Tests Not So Good
Since state testing began, around the year 2000, the U.S. dropped in global rankings. A study in 2011 by the National Research Council found no evidence test-based incentive programs work. And, English language learners take tests before they master the language. Also, IEP students take the same test as children in the regular classroom. Standardized tests do not measure creativity, critical thinking, resilience, motivation, self-awareness, empathy, leadership, etc.
• Tests do not consider a student’s thinking process.
• They make students and teachers hate school.
• Teaching to the test is many times, a solution to achieving better scores.
• Experiments by Les Perelman at MIT indicate meaningless articles lean toward getting high scores from scorers as the correct vocabulary and paragraph length is utilized by the writer.
As a result, testing companies are making money and politicians are passing laws for schools to achieve because of the test scores.
So, whether good or bad, too much time or not, love or hate, standardized tests are still happening. And, the more complaints about them, the more publishers improve tests, school curricula and teaching methods.
