Standardized assessments are intended to assist in educating students. However, they do not accommodate the diverse lifestyles of students. These tests neither teach nor assess content and consume time that could be used for teaching. Plus, they require money from school districts. These funds could be utilized more effectively elsewhere.
It is thought that the money school districts spend on testing students is more helpful directed to teachers. Teachers are underpaid in this country. If each teacher received a raise from the money used for testing, it wouldn’t produce a better quality teacher; it would give teachers more money so they wouldn’t have to have two other jobs.
Besides teacher raises there is always money for programs for schools in need. Many schools are failing and have several uses for the money. There are out-of-date textbooks, students who need to be fed, and furniture and computers that need to be updated. Considering these options for spending money on necessities, using it on standardized tests seems silly.
Standardized Assessments are Antiquated
Sternberg, a professor of psychology at Cornell University, believes that standardized tests do not assess critical thinking skills, which are essential for students’ future success. He argues that standardized tests are ineffective and do not reflect real-life situations. They show which students are prepared to take a test, not their knowledge.
Standardized tests exist because education does not have a common standard to follow. Each school district has a different grading system. However, getting rid of the tests may not be the answer, they need to be improved to fit today’s needs. They need to be redesigned to be more effective.
A Limited Picture
Today, standardized assessments only offer a limited snapshot of a student’s knowledge, with little emphasis on critical thinking. Some standardized tests contain biased questions. However, tests normalized on broader populations are better, as they are based on homogeneous groups or specific populations. Another problem with these tests is that they do not accurately measure a student’s academic growth.
Currently, standardized testing is a cornerstone of student assessment. However, its effectiveness and relevance are increasingly questioned. There are concerns about teachers in grades K-12 teaching to the test and not engaging students in deep learning. They rely on the information from standardized tests to change the curriculum. Thus, it leads to outdated teaching methods, leaving this testing as the basis of assessment.
Some states have implemented performance exams, which are administered to all students and are based on completing specific tasks, such as writing an essay, conducting a science experiment, or delivering an oral presentation.
Whatever measurement of academic learning is used, it should not be obsolete. Education needs to look to the future, and Congress could focus less on accountability. The future of education may involve integrating AI to assess student progress. Still, the primary purpose of assessment is to improve the quality of teaching and for students to learn.
