Standardized Testing Informative Essay

The average students in the U.S. takes about 112 standardized test between pre-kindergarten and twelfth grade. That does not include the course quizzes, test, assessments, SAT or ACT. There are many things wrong with today's standardized test, but the main topics to focus on when it comes to those test are, the amount of test students take, the lack of feedback, and diversity, the value of creativity, and the false sense of security.

First let's start off with what standardized testing is. “A standardized test is any test that requires test takers to answer the same questions, or a selection of questions from a common of questions, in the same way, and that is scored in a “standard” or consistent manner, which makes it possible to compare the relative performance of individual students or groups of

students”. They usually consist of multiple choice, true or false and short answer questions.

Many may argue that standardized testing is good for students because you can compare the performance levels of students and know where to assess them but actually it’s very unreliable, students aren’t given any guidelines based on their test.

The problem with having everyone taking the same test is that not everyone is a good test taker.

Standardized test create stress and anxiety. Some kids can cope well with stress while others can’t, which makes the test unfair. Too much stress is harmful, both psychologically and physically. Too much stress can cause the brain to change into a fight or flight response, making it even harder to think properly through 1-3 hour test

Another problem with standardized testing is both students and teachers can cheat. Teachers cheat by boosting the test score of theirs students because they know that if they have a larger number of students with low grades, they could either lose their job or their salary could get affected. Students are will to do whatever they can to pass standardized test, including staying up late to study and/or cheat. Staying up will cause them to be drowsy during the test, and could affect their performance.

The fact that students don’t get anything out of taking the test is a problem. Students should be provided with feedback on how to do better on their next test. But instead they are handed back their test after a couple month with their

score.

Horace Mann developed a test to administer to a group of students in the 1800s, to make judgements on how well the students were doing at their current level and determine if they would be capable of advancing to a higher level. Now standardized testing is just a way for schools to show off with how their teachers and students are doing. Which goes back to standardized testing being unfair because some schools don’t have the resources to