Does Standardized Testing Accurately Measures a Student´s Performance?

In schools, there is the constant debate about whether or not standardized testing accurately measures a student's performance. As several recent articles about the usefulness of standardized testing continue to be published, it is evident that the debate remains a common controversy. For example, Noliwe M. Rooks wrote in TIME magazine that "if one expects less from some students, those lower educational expectations will become a self-fulfilling prophecy for school districts and those students will fall even farther behind" ("Why It Is Time to Get Rid of Standardized Testing"). On the contrary, a Seattle publication states that standardized testing is the "only legitimate indicator of how well schools are doing and offer an in-depth snapshot of students' academic progress" ("What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Achievement Tests?").

The argument about whether or not standardized testing accurately measures a student's performance continues to be debated. In this paper, I would like to argue that standardized testing does not accurately measure a student's performance. After looking at various opinions of standardized testing, I will consider the subject matter in regards to external factors that can influence a student's thinking process during a standardized test, such as anxiety, stress, and any other problems the student may be encountering. As a Secondary Mathematics Education major, I will have to prepare my future students for standardized testing. Through reviewing both sides of the debate about standardized testing, I can learn how to focus on the objectives of standardized testing in order to apply them to other aspects of academics and real-life situations.

Through the debate about whether or not standardiz...

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...ormance Vary Widely: Study"). With high standards, students are able to be challenged in a way that allows them to expand upon their previous knowledge in order to develop critical thinking skills. High standards essentially prepares students for postsecondary education as college admissions usually considers student's scores on standardized testing, such as the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and/or the American College Testing Program (ACT), while making a decision to accept or decline a student. Ralph Figueroa, the Director of College Guidance at Albuquerque Academy answers that "there is no doubt that standardized testing [is] an important piece of the puzzle in helping colleges decide which applicants will do well if they are admitted. In fact, the importance placed on test has grown in recent years" ("How Important Are Test Scores to College Applications?").