Standardized Testing Argumentative Essay

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No talking, no getting up, no asking questions, and only the qualified tools are allowed. Students prepare all year to take this test. A test that might not even measure what it is supposed to, a standardized test. In 2002, the No Child Left Behind Act was established as an updated version of the Elementary and Secondary Education act of 1965. Its mission was to build upon education for all children no matter their background. However; what it really did was force states to create basic guidelines of what has taught and, create standardized tests that schools have to give. If a school decides to opt out and choose to not give the test to their students then the state will stop funding that school.
As mentioned, the system of standardized …show more content…

The tests are not altered to those kids, so they are just left to fail. Kids are left in situation were they are being tested on aptitude and their ability to memorize material. Rather then being tested on something that matters like their ability to understand and gain knowledge. These tests are not an honest measurement of what the students are capable of. Claire Klodell from the Huffington Post touches on this subject in her article about standardized tests “standardized tests are an unreliable measure of student performance. The Brookings Institution conducted a study in 2001 which found that 50-80 percent of year-over-year test score improvements were temporary and ‘caused by fluctuations that had nothing to do with long-term changes in learning.’” (Klodell). This shows that teachers teach to the test and that students memorize the information in order to get a passing score. Even the U.S Department of Education agrees that standardized tests influences teachers to teach to the tests but they don’t see it as a bad thing. “Curriculum based on state standards should be taught in the classroom. If teachers cover subject matter required by the standards and teach it well, then students will master the material on which they will be tested--and probably much more.” (NCLB). Although it is true that they will master the test material, precious class time is wasted trying to prepare students for tests rather than preparing them for what they will need to know to be successful in higher

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