Why Standardized Tests Won't Improve Education

The Background of the Standardized Tests Issue

Standardized testing has been a part of the education system in America since the 1800s(1). Though standardized testing really came into effect in 2002 when the No Child Left Behind Act made it mandatory that standardized testing be done in all 50 states(1). Through the years standardized testing has been discussed on “how it affects teaching and learning.”(2)

The big question that educators and parents often ask is if Standardized tests are really a “fair and objective measure of students ability?”(1). It is known as a very ineffective tool that makes it difficult for students to understand learning (3). Standardized tests force students “to produce answers immediately can disadvantage reflective students who need time to think about a concept from many different perspectives before giving a response” (3).

There are numerous issues that standardized tests pose on students and the education system which will be explained throughout this blog. Some include lost learning time, reduced content knowledge, narrowed curriculum, loss of curiosity and love of learning, harmful stress, grades, and internalized failure (4).

 

RESOURCES
(1) “Background of the Issue – Standardized Tests – ProCon.org.” ProConorg Headlines, 23 Oct. 2018, standardizedtests.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=006521.

(2) Simpson, Christina.“Effects of Standardized Testing on Students’ Well-Being.” May 2016, p.1., projects.iq.harvard.edu/files/eap/files/c._simpson_effects_of_testing_on_well_being_5_16.pdf.

(3) Gillmore , Meagan. “The Problem With Standardized Testing.” Education for Today and Tomorrow | L’Education Aujourd’hui Et Demain, TEACH Magazine , 2018, teachmag.com/archives/9990.

(4) Strauss, Valerie. “13 Ways High-Stakes Standardized Tests Hurt Students.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 11 Mar. 2014, http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2014/03/10/13-ways-high-stakes-standardized-tests-hurt-students/?utm_term=.40f0dd11391b.

 

The Impact of Standardized Tests on Learning

When students go to school, it is supposed to be a place where there is a positive learning environment. Standardized tests have taken away the positivity of learning and has changed the way the learning and instructional process is done. A standardized test is not a suitable way to “determine students’ performance level” (5) The test is structured in a way that it is unable to accommodate the different types of learning styles of each student (5).

The standardized testing curriculum that is created to abide by state standards is narrowing what students need to be learning. Teachers “determine what students needs to know before creating an assessment that will evaluate whether they have learned” (6).  The test is forcing them to do the exact opposite, they are being mandated to follow a curriculum that may not be right for every student’s learning style.

Standardized testing is consuming the learning environment and “there has been no evidence to support that more time spent on tests improves academic performance” (7). The test is unaware of “student’s abilities language barriers and/or a mental illness that can make a test challenging for a student” (7). Typically a student is tested on what they have learned and excel at, but a standardized tests is “only looking for what a student does not know” (7).  This is extremely heart breaking for a student to go into the school year thinking that they are going to excel in what they have learned, but instead one day can determine their whole year of learning.

(6) Conrad, Bradley. “Tales from the Classroom: How Standardized Tests Affect Students.” Tales from the Classroom: A Peer-Reviewed K12 Education Blog, Tales from the Classroom: A Peer-Reviewed K12 Education Blog, 9 Nov. 2017, http://www.talesfromtheclassroom.com/single-post/2017/10/18/What-Standardized-Tests-Do-and-Don’t-Tell-You-Part-2-How-they-Affect-Students.

(7) Ritt, Maddolyn. “The Impact of High-Stakes Testing on the Learning Environment.” Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers, May 2016, pp. 7–8., sophia.stkate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1660&context=msw_papers.

Disappearing Curriculum

There was a time when students could go to school to enjoy learning, discover what they were good at or choose subjects that appealed to them. Though today teachers are forced to strip their curriculum which includes subjects that creating to a students learning such as art, music, and physical education. These are being cut out of the curriculum because educators are being forced to focus “their time and energy” on preparing their students for the standardized test (8).

A place that used to be a positive center for learning is now being turned into a place known as “test prep factories” (8). Teachers and students basically “act out a script” that is written by a person who has never stepped foot into a classroom. Achievement has been turned into “nothing more than scoring well on a bubble test” (8). The subjects that were once taught in a classroom before a “script” was written are now being cut and teachers are forced to focus solely on two subjects which are math and reading (9). Reading and math cannot does not let a student show their creativity because all it is doing is “producing future test takers” (10).

Students will not remember how a standardized test helped them discover their creativity, they will remember how their creativity was discovered during an art or music class. That creativity  that could be made is taken away from them  which in order to face the world outside of the classroom walls they need a full and rich curriculum.

Resources

(8) Walker , Tim. “The Testing Obsession and the Disappearing Curriculum.” NEA Today, NEA, 3 Jan. 2017, neatoday.org/2014/09/02/the-testing-obsession-and-the-disappearing-curriculum-2/.

(9) Dillon, Sam. “Schools Cut Back Subjects to Push Reading and Math.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 26 Mar. 2006, http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/26/education/26child.html.

(10) Ritt, Maddolyn. “The Impact of High-Stakes Testing on the Learning Environment.” Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers, May 2016, pp. 7–8., sophia.stkate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1660&context=msw_papers.

Harmful Stress

Standardized tests can impact a student in several ways especially on a student’s health. These tests bring on several health related consequences such as “stomachaches, vomiting, headaches, sleep problems, depression, attendance problems, and acting out” (11). This is due to increased pressure which causes them to become ill and gives them lack of ability for “successful performance” (12) These tests can cause life-long problems for students due to loss of self-esteem because of low test performance along with “lifelong mental blocks” (12).

How does a students brain react to a standardized test? The stress they encounter is their “body’s general response to any intense, physical, emotional or mental demand placed on it” (13). These common reactions to the stress of the test can result in “disturbed sleep patterns tiredness, worry, irregular eating habits , increased infections, and inability to concentrate” (13). This stress takes a toll on a students test performance which undermines their learning.

When a student has in the back of their head that if they do not pass the test they won’t move to the next grade level, is just too much pressure. If these standardized tests were eliminated, students would enjoy learning without being in a toxic classroom environment. The toxic classroom environment takes the love out of learning along with one day and one test determining what they have learned all year.

Resources

(11) Simpson, Christina.“Effects of Standardized Testing on Students’ Well-Being.” May 2016, p.6., projects.iq.harvard.edu/files/eap/files/c._simpson_effects_of_testing_on_well_being_5_16.pdf.

(12) Cox, Elaine. “Standardized Tests: Making Our Students and Teachers Sick?” U.S. News & World Report, U.S. News & World Report, 16 Nov. 2015, health.usnews.com/health-news/patient-advice/articles/2015/11/16/standardized-tests-making-our-students-and-teachers-sick.

(13) “Tests Stress = Problems For Students.” Brain Connection, 29 Nov. 2016, brainconnection.brainhq.com/2000/07/12/tests-stress-problems-for-students/.