Standardized Tests Do Not Measure Student Achievement

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Recommended: Why standardized testing is not effective

Standardized testing has been around since the mid 1800’s. Even though testing has been around for a long time it is still debated whether or not it should precisely “score” students. Students have been subjected to standardized tests frequently through their years in school due to laws which have been passed by Congress. Decisions about the evaluation of schools and students are recurrently made by government authority and are often not in the best interest of teachers, students, or their classroom environments.

What do students achieve from standardized testing? Achievement means something that somebody has succeeded in doing. “Achievement is more than just test scores but also includes class participation, students’ course-taking patterns, and teachers’ professional development patterns”(Harris, Harris, Smith). How can a test score show someone’s satisfaction or what they believe success is? The tests aren’t that advanced in today’s technology. The tests do prepare students for more important tests such as the ACT, SAT, ASVAB, ect…Testing patterns have also been disputed such as drawing a Christmas tree, or limit a letter choice to a certain number of blanks filled in. This does not help the students or the educators in this essence. It does not test the students’ full potential to what they have learned from their educator, it just simply tests the students’ ability to guess quickly under pressure (Walberg). These tests are usually briefly timed. Depending on how the student paces his or herself depends on how well he or she can take the test, because the student still needs to think logically. Under these circumstances students rush to finish the test forcing them to think illogically, resulting in a low score ul...

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...8 Nov. 2013.

Popham, W.James. "Why Standardized Tests Don't Measure Educational

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"Standardized Tests." procon.org. N.p., 01 Nov. 2013. Web. 11 Nov 2013. .

"Standardized Testing: No Child Left Behind." Lawserver. N.p.. Web. 13 Nov 2013.

Walberg, Herbert J. "Standardized Tests Effectively Measure Student Achievement."

Standardized Testing. Ed. Dedria Bryfonski. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012. At

Issue. Rpt. from "Stop the War Against Standardized Tests." Defining Ideas: A

Hoover Institution Journal (20 May 2011). Opposing Viewpoints In Context.

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