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Standardized Testing: Is it effective?

Stalee Diehl

Ottawa University
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Abstract

The topic of whether standardized testing is effective and if it is helping or hurting students is

something that has been discussed and researched numerous times and it will be discussed in this

paper. The purpose of this paper is to understand and figure out if standardized testing is really

helping or hurting students and teachers and if it is truly effective. Throughout this paper, the

history of why standardized testing ever started and the purpose of it will be discussed. Along

with looking at the benefits of testing, and why so many people believe it to be effective and

helpful. We will also look at the disadvantages of testing and provide more knowledge so that

anyone can be more informed of why it is actually not effective. There will also be information

over how testing effects the way students act in the classroom, how the atmosphere changes, the

stress that it puts on teachers and the issues that they run into a lot, along with how it is effecting

parents. This paper will also look at some studies that have been done to convince people that

there are other, better, tests that child should take that would be more effective and helpful to

them in life outside of school. The direction intended from this paper is to show that standardized

testing is not effective and is hurting students and teachers more than helping them. There will be

examples as to what can be done to take place of standardized testing.

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Introduction

There have been many studies done when it comes to standardized testing and if it is effective or

not or if it is helping or hurting students and teachers. There are a lot of things to consider when

deciding if standardized testing should be kept in schools. Although the advantages to the testing

are great and do make since the disadvantages outweigh them. There have also been many

studies done to prove that standardized testing stresses people out and causes more problems

rather than helping out schools. There should still be testing but more of a critical thinking test

instead of having to memorize a million things for one day.

Early History

Standardized testing has been a part of American education since the mid-1800s.

(procon, 2016) The use of standardized testing became more meaningful and mandatory after the

No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) in 2002 in all fifty states. Before this act, the point of

standardized testing was to create admissions for the United States in the northeastern elite

universities, along with being used in the top boarding schools for standardized curriculum. It

also was used for immigration, to test what they knew and their social abilities. It was originally

made of essays and not so much a widespread of questions over certain topics.

The First Tests and Modern Testing

In 1915, The Kansas Silent Read Test was known to be the first and earliest published

multiple choice test, that was developed by Frederick J. Kelly. (procon, 2016) In 1934 after

many years of multiple choice testing Reynold Johnson made the first machine that could read

the answers of a No. 2 pencil, which helped a lot when it came to grading these standardized

tests. President Lyndon Johnson began the modern testing movement with Elementary and

Secondary Act in1965. It consisted of provisions in effort to raise the standards and make
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education more equitable. Then in 1983 there was the release of A Nation at Risk: The

Imperative for Educational Reform. The point of it was to make everyone aware that it was

important for academic standards to be raised within the United States. People then were

pressing for more strict measures within tests and increased the amount of testing that was done.

The No Child Left Behind Act was soon signed into law in 2002 like said earlier, by George W

Bush in January. This consisted of mandated testing in reading and math and science to follow

soon after throughout third graders to eighth graders and then for the final time in tenth grade.

With this testing schools had to show sufficient adequate yearly progress or they faced sanctions

and even the risk of being shut down or taken over by the state. It was required that all students

had to be proficient when it came to reading and math testing by 2014. With Bushs program the

states and federal government were spending around ten million dollars when it came to

preparing for standardized testing. President Barack Obama program Race to the Top was signed

into law in February 2009. This was made so states could compete for a $4.35 billions of extra

funding based on strengths of their students test scores.

Advantages

According to a research done by Columbia University there are several benefits to

standardized testing. For instance, they found that it holds schools and teachers more

accountable, they are required to teach students what is on the tests. The scores of these tests are

documented so teachers want to make sure their students do well on them so they dont get a bad

reputation in the teaching industry. The standardized testing programs also give teachers

guidelines so they know what to teach and when. It also gives parents an idea of how well their

kids are doing in school and if they have improved as the years progress. Standardized testing

also allows colleges or other facilities to compare two different scores from two students that are
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in completely different states, because every test is the same. This also helps when it comes to

students transferring to a new school, all the guidelines that are given to the teachers are the same

and every grade should be learning the same thing, so it makes the adjustment easier when it

comes to academics. Also, when the tests are being graded it is multiple choice and usually done

by a computer so there can be no favoritism. When the tests are being graded, they are also being

put into sub-groups. This helps schools so they are able to see what students are scoring and can

put them in groups in classrooms when practicing for the tests.

Disadvantages

There are many disadvantages when it comes to standardized testing. Columbia

University was able to evaluate some of those. Standardized testing causes teachers to only

teach to the test. (Columbia, 2013). This is causing students to be in school all day in an

environment that is not fun to learn in. But, teachers focus on teaching their students what is

going to be on the test mainly because their career depends on how well their students do. ( )

The testing also only evaluates a students performance on one day and no matter how well or

bad they do on the test no one is able to see how much progress they made throughout the year

leading up to the test. Many of the students also develop test anxiety which hinders

performance. (Derrick Meador, 2016). Along with that there are many other factors that could

happen to make a student unprepared for their testlike having an argument with their

parents. (Derrick Meador, 2016). Standardized testing is also causing a lot of stress for students

and teachers. There has been a number of excellent teachers who quit the profession every day

because of how much stress is on them to prepare students to perform well. (Derrick Meador,

2016). A study done by Concordia University shares that multiple-choice tests are too

simplistic, while advocates note that technology improvements feature items that demand more
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critical thinking before choosing a response. (Concordia University, 2017). They also share how

open-ended questions make students use their critical thinking to answer questions and that is

what they will have to deal with when they are no longer in school.

Other Testing Methods

There are many studies done to show that critical thinking tests should take place of the

standardized testing. If that were to happen it would prepare students to be able to make

decisions in life outside of school. Of course, it is important to make sure students learn the basic

math science and reading subjects and be tested over them, but it shouldnt be such a huge

problem in our world today. The answer is to make more critical thinking tests.

Conclusion

After evaluating both aspects of standardized testing and the problems that it causes

within so many people it is important that we opt it out. Students should be tested over things

that require critical thinking skills and not have to spend almost every year memorizing things so

their teacher does not get fired. Also, the standardized testing is not preparing students for life

outside of school. Wherever they go they are going to have to make their own decisions because

not everything is going to be a multiple-choice question.

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