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Arguments Against Standardized Testing Essay

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Arguments Against Standardized Testing Essay
Argument against Standardized Tests
Standardized testing is one of the most controversial and highly debated topics in the United States today. These tests are commonly used to measure the students’ academic achievements and act as yardstick for teachers’ effectiveness in academic delivery. A typical student sits for at least “112 compulsory standardized tests between pre-kindergarten classes and 12th grade” (Layton). Proponents of standardized testing believe that the practice provides accurate measurements of student performance and teachers effectiveness. On the other hand, opponents of standardized testing argue that a single test given on a single day can neither be an accurate measure of the students’ academic achievement nor a yardstick for teachers’ effectiveness in academic delivery. In fact, most of the countries which outperform the U.S. at international examinations test their students thrice throughout the course of schooling (Layton). The hypothesizes shows that standardized test is flawed and need to be addressed in order to improve the students’ creativity and restore
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This aspect has resulted into a decrease of time spent in the recess. As a result, children’s’ emotional, social, and academic well-being is compromised in the long run (Ricci 351). Moreover, the fact that the federal funds are only availed to schools which meet specific thresholds, have put schools under pressure to ensure that their students can meet the requirements through standardized tests. As such, schools spend much time evaluating the students’ performance such that whenever “the students are not sitting for the standardized tests, then they are being prepared to sit for the tests” (Kohn 47). As a result, students skip or neglect other important activities such as extracurricular activities such as games in order to prepare adequately for the

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