The Pros And Cons Of Standardized Testing

Are Standardized Tests Necessary? Students quietly took their seats in the large desk-packed room and neatly aligned their number-two pencils on their desks. Nervousness filled the students’ minds as their hands grew sweaty and their hearts began to race. Questions began to storm around their minds: “What if I do not finish my essay in time? What if I do not understand a vocab question?” The proctor starts the timer right as the final deadliest question penetrates every student’s mind: “What if I fail? ” After all, this was the test that would determine their future. If they fall short of their ideal score, they will be repeating the school year or will not be accepted into their dream college. The ramifications differ for each test. With such high stakes in one standardized test, is it fair to put such immense pressure on high school students? The question is not how to reduce stress and fear of the students, but rather how to improve their confidence to perform well on these standardized tests . “High-stakes” standardized testing is necessary to
improve America’s education for it sets a level of academic achievement for all students nationwide, a standard which cannot be met unless schools adequately assist the students in preparation. There are several standardized tests administered at different levels from elementary to high school, all created with the good intention of improving the education of America’s future generations by raising the bar of academic success nationwide. The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) defined a set of standards, called adequate yearly progress, that students must meet. It also supports school improvement, trying to close the achievement gap of schools nationwide and ensuring students are not falling behind (“No Child Left Behind”). Meanwhile, the state high school exit exam ensures that all graduating high school students meet a requirement of education that is necessary to succeed after high school, such as in college or the workplace. The Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) was created to help colleges compare students nationwide by a more uniform assessment since each high school varies in academic level. However, in reality, the good intentions of standardized tests may not be as successful for some students. The potential negative aspects of standardized tests, such as the consequences of poor scores and possible injustice in test interpretation given schools’ diverse backgrounds, constantly overshadow the tests’ good intentions . One harmful feature of standardized tests is the amount of pressure placed on them. While good scores on the SAT, NCLB, or high school exit exam can be beneficial opening doors to colleges and scholarships, bad scores can have negative effects on students. Students may be discouraged with diminished hope for higher education or careers. Some students from poor neighborhoods may not be motivated to try in school because of socioeconomic and emotional problems. On the contrary, students from affluent families may score higher given the benefit of parental support, providing private tutoring and test preparation programs. Since every school differs in background and resources, should standardized testing be abolished and should schools be allowed to set their own standards ?
Although standardized testing may cause grave consequences for students who fail, the negative results can be prevented if the schools, teachers, and community work together to help prepare the students to pass these tests.
The NCLB actually recognizes subgroups of disadvantaged students who may perform poorly and supports failing schools by the School Improvement Fund (“No Child Left Behind”). Therefore, teachers must include concepts tested on standardized tests in their curriculum, while being sensitive to disadvantaged students who need extra help. Tutors, specifically higher achieving students in the school or community, can also motivate struggling students by assisting them on a 1:1 basis. Students may understand concepts better from a peer who uses similar vocabulary and examples. With teachers thoroughly covering materials on standardized tests and tutors providing support, students can achieve good
scores.
There is a saying: “Students don’t fail; teachers do.” In this quote, teachers include everyone who is involved in students’ education, each playing a role to encourage students to learn. After all, America’s future lies in the hands of the next generation. In one hypothetical world, teachers have given up for students are not motivated in class without any need to take standardized tests. However, in another scenario, students are meeting regularly with tutors and actively participating in class, trying their best to prepare for a standardized test . Which scenario would be more beneficial to America, knowing that the country’s future is dependent on the education of the students ? With no doubt, the latter situation. After all, America must continue to move forward. Every classroom in America should not contain apathetic teenagers slouching behind desks; instead, every classroom in America should contain future doctors who will find a cure for cancer, physicists who will send a man to walk on Mars, and historians who will analyze America’s past as America strides forward, led by the future generation. This future of America can only be reached if the current generation shapes the younger generation, preparing them academically for their future careers and achievements past high school . With standardized tests raising the bar of America’s education and teachers and tutors helping students to not only reach but exceed the bar, America’s younger generation can become fully equipped to lead America forward in the future.
Work Cited
"No Child Left Behind." Research Center. Education Week, 04 Aug. 2004. Web. 15 July 2013.