Arguments Against Standardized Testing

Standardized tests have been used for many years as a measure to gauge the academic achievement of students and schools nationwide. In theory, standardized tests are appealing, but in reality, they fail to adequately determine how much a child has actually learned. With this being said, scores also greatly underestimate the effectiveness of schools. Therefore, because of the countless flaws and deceptive interpretations, standardized tests should be banned.
I. To begin, standardized test scores do not accurately measure what has been learned.
A. For many years, standardized tests have been portrayed as a reliable tool to evaluate student achievement, condensing a year’s worth of material into one exam.
B. To put it into perspective, Dr. Louis
Actually according to Richard Garner’s article, “Are Finnish schools the best in the world? - Schools, Education-The Independent” Finland has been ranked as the world’s top education system and interestingly enough, “[Finland has] no national testing, inspections or school league tables. The government looks at an 8 to 10 per cent sample of pupils’ work to check on performance” (Garner, 2011). With stricter standards for Finnish teachers, the U.S. should consider an education system similar to Finland; it is obvious they have superior education system in which the students thrive without being forced to take standardized tests.

• Standardized tests are normally distributed at the end of the school year, which means test results are not received until after the school year is completed. So if these tests are supposed to be used to help improve the academics of children, is it truly benefiting the student? Some may suggest using the test scores to improve on weak areas for the next school year. This is also illogical because the subject that may have been a weakness for the previous class, may be a strength for the next.

• Some may argue that standardized tests are purely objective and therefore leave behind any potential
(2011, June 6). Are Finnish Schools the best in the world? - Schools, Education-The Independent. Retrieved April 2015, 2015, from slinkingtowardretirement.com: http://www.slinkingtowardretirement.com/?p=43849

Guisebond, L., & Schaeffer , B. (2012, January). NCLB's Lost Decade for Educational Progress: What Can We Learn from this Policy Failure? Retrieved April 22, 2015, from fairtest.org: http://www.fairtest.org/sites/default/files/NCLB_Report_Final_Layout.pdf

Harris, Phillip, Joan Harris, and Bruce M. Smith. "Standardized Tests Do Not Effectively Measure Student Achievement." Standardized Testing. Ed. Dedria Bryfonski. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012. At Issue. Rpt. from "Chapter 3: The Tests Don't Measure Achievement Adequately." The Myths of Standardized Tests: Why They Don't Tell You What You Think They Do. 2011. 33-45. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.

Hyatt, M. (n.d.). Does 'teaching to the test' actually encourage cheating? Retrieved April 23, 2015, from character.org: http://character.org/articles/does-teaching-to-the-test-