Standardized Testing Argumentative

“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education.” (Martin Luther King Junior) DISCUSS Although some argue standardized testing is the best measure of a student's knowledge and academic skills, it poorly judges what a student has learned and should be eradicated from schools.
Educators and administrators look to standardized testing to provide a measurement of a student’s learning. However, measuring all students in the same way provides inaccurate results. Each student learns differently and it cannot be displayed on a test. “Critics say that while such examinations provide one broad indicator of educational achievement, their attempt to
ELABORATE “Many argue that individual merit is at odds with the college character of effective schools, and that performance based compensation would, in effect, stifle reform by pitting teachers against each other in search of a more lucrative paycheck.” (two authors? 4) The success of the school is partially dependent on how students perform on standardized tests. It is a convenient and easy way to checkpoint how a school is doing. However, when the success of the classroom is driven by a rewards system, it becomes clear that a wrong turn has been made. “The success of schools is dependent on the performance of their students. The federal funds are given only to those schools that perform well. This adds an extra pressure on public schools to constantly evaluate their performance.” (Columbia University, 2) This pressure that is being put on schools, can cause stress and cause them to teach to the test in order to produce the best result. Schools federal funding is partially dependent on their performance. Because of this, educators and students are under extreme pressure to perform well. “As the pressure mounts on graduates themselves, it is almost certain that educators will continue to be pressed for clear, easy to-read evidence that they are doing their job well.” (Dwyer, Global Issues in Context) include quote? Standardized tests puts pressure on schools to perform
Standardized testing measure how well a student is doing and how well they are prepared for college and beyond. “...to develop common assessments that will provide meaningful feedback to parents, teachers and policymakers to ensure all students are progressing toward attaining the skills they need to be successful in college, careers and life.” ( corestandards.org ) “The imperative then is not to eliminate testing; it is to make sure that tests are aligned with meaningful curriculum, rigorous standards, and useful professional development and that teachers are involved in the test adoption process” (Coggins Opposing Viewpoint in Context). The problem is not standardized testing, rather the way it is approached needs to be altered. Too often these tests are not written to meet the needs of students and educators in one particular school, but a hundred or so schools. If these test were changed to meet the needs of select schools, the tests would gain effectiveness. Although many see standardized tests as the best way to guide classroom lessons and to recieve data of what a student has learned, it limits lessons to a test and causes pressure on educators and