Standardized Testing Dbq

ISTEP. ACT. SAT. These acronyms are some of the most commonly mentioned, and dreaded, subjects in today’s American school systems. Standardized tests are focused on by teachers and administrations to the point of disastrous effects. These tests should be removed from schools because they are unreliable in showing the knowledge of students, they stress teachers to the point of exhaustion, and they take away from valuable learning time. First of all, standardized tests are extremely unreliable in portraying the knowledge of a student. The tests do nothing to improve pupils. ProCon.org explains “that 50-80% of year-over-year test score improvements were temporary” (“Is the Use of Standardized”). Even if there is an increase in student performance, it almost never has to do with the test itself. Another reason that standardized tests are unreliable is that every school uses a different method to teach its students. According to FairTest.org, “Many students do not have a fair opportunity to learn the material on the test because they attend poorly-funded schools with … inadequate books, libraries, laboratories, computers and other facilities” (“The Dangerous”). What is on a test may not have been in the

If students get too diminutive of a score on a test, their teacher’s job could be at risk. Tim Zimmer of Classroom.com states “that nearly three out of four (72 percent) teachers felt moderate to extreme pressure from their school and administrators to improve their standardized test scores” (Zimmer). This stress that teachers face can greatly reduce their teaching capabilities, and even transfer stress to students. Zimmer also elucidates, “Emphasis placed on improving test scores negatively impacted their classrooms” (Zimmer). Teachers will not be able to healthily teach, and students will not be able to healthily learn if tests stress them to the point of