Summary Of The Case Against Standardized Testing

In contrast to the points stated above, a popular argument amongst many members of the opposition is that standardized tests alone do not present a fair representation of a student’s intelligence and character. Critics, authors, and researchers alike of the opposing party hold the view that standardized tests fail to measure a lot of what makes up a meaningful education (Bracey). American education policy researcher, Gerald Bracey, is widely known for composing a comprehensive list of important character traits that standardized tests largely fail to address including, “creativity, critical thinking, resilience, motivation, persistence, curiosity, endurance, reliability, enthusiasm, empathy, self-awareness, self-discipline, leadership, civic
Kohn argues that standardized tests simply teach students to think quickly and superficially rather than thinking deeply about situations they are presented with. Furthermore, the opposition claims that standardized testing seems to encourage a “teaching to the test” behavior amongst teachers which can have a negative effect on what the student truly takes away from a given course. Studies such as the one released by Carnegie-Knight Task Force at Harvard University show teachers that have reallocated class time in order to spend more time preparing for standardized testing (Knight Foundation). As a result, less time is spent on science, social studies, and art in the classroom, in order to spend more time focusing on reading and math. Thus, while a student might be prepared for a standardized test, critics of standardized testing argue that there is so much more that a student is not being taught that is essential to a fruitful
Standardized tests also help to make an evaluation on international students, given that so many come to the United States to further their education. Lastly, standardized testing is an unbiased way compare the abilities of the students taking the test because these students are being tested by someone who they do not know. If anything, the real problem does not lie in the standardized tests, but the students’ preparedness for these exams. Standardized tests should not be done away with, for there is nothing wrong with them, rather efforts should be made to help fix the underlying problems to a student’s poor performance on these exams. Furthermore, policies ought to be changed to place less responsibility on teachers for a student’s performance in hope to lessen the uptick of cheating scandals across the United