Against Standardized Testing as the Absolute Value of Education

Standardized test: are they a meaningless waist of trees? I myself have been taking these types of test for nine years now and some weighed on me heavy. I had ne getting in the way until resent years of my life. As an elementary student I had some idea in my head what all of it meant, but no idea why. It's not until my 8th grade year that I noticed the chatter amongst my parents about these test, and after doing my best on the CRCT in eigth grade; not meeting the standard for Math; therefore, spoiling my summer that I began to question their value.

I have lived through the stress; done tons of research, and heard many conflicting ideas. Not to mention the rate at which they have become “High- Stakes”. After seeing and living the effects of standardize testing; I have firmly planted my seed that they should not be the absolute value when deciding a student's educational future.

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To begin with, standardize testing has a distinct emotional effect on students; many hate the experience of taking them at all; as most of my peers would say. After doing bad on a test, low-achieving students become depressed and less motivated which leads to them not wanting to learn, and this leads them into a downward spiral they can't break out of; therefore, pushing the retention rate. These are statements given by Carla Reese, a teacher at Stephenson High School in Lithonia, Georgia. "The emotional effect they have on the student is a direct effect that will be placed on the teacher.

Some teachers have even admitted that they begin to develop negative attitudes towards students that do not perform at an acceptable level. The teacher is forced to plot out a time to drill students in a short period, so as to be sure they know what will be covered on the test ending abruptly following the test; this places a strain on the curriculum, and disrupting the flow of the class. Most cases this frame of excessiveness never works, teachers begin to feel anxiety and guilt for having to give tests to their students.” It is also common misunderstanding that what is taught in class is what is taught on test, this is called test-taking mismatches. In a study done at MSU almost 20 years ago, researchers found that as many as 50% of the items on a nationally standardized achievement test may cover topics that students wouldn't in the classroom, study's founded by.

It is my belief that these emotions lead to performance anxiety in both student and teacher. Statistically speaking this in turn fuels the importance for teachers to take more drastic measures to improve performance. Next, there's the dishonesty and materialism that comes with the presenting of these high-stakes test. Teachers have admitted that they will do anything to raise student's scores. Numbers, school status and more times than none money plays a big role in forcing teachers to make sure students perform well on said test. A lot of school systems hold their schools accountable when test scores do not continually improve. They place huge amount of pressure on teachers to raise students' test scores. They are not only pressured to raise student test scores, but to also raise the school average. Unfortunately, this can lead to dishonesty on the part of teachers and principals. In recent days there have been big scandals that come along with this type of behavior, starting with the “Atlanta Standardized Test Scandal”. Atlanta's school cheating scandal, one of the largest in U.S. history, has launched a national discussion about whether the increased use of high-stakes tests to rate educators will trigger similar episodes in the years ahead. Pressure to meet testing targets was a major reason cheating took place in 44 Atlanta schools involving 178 educators, according to a state investigation.

This was said to be, "deeply disturbing" by the Obama administration, and has tarnished Atlanta's Cinderella story of school reform, according to AJC online. Materialistically the purpose is just as bad; results of the test are often used to determine funding, salary increases and other aspects. School wide bonuses up to $2,000 were given to employees at schools that met targets, and according to the state investigation, former APS Superintendent Beverly Hall also benefited financially from the bonus system. This dishonesty has been growing rapidly across the United States; studies have shown that Atlanta isn't the only district where cheating is suspected. Reports from Florida, Baltimore, Los Angeles and Washington suggest cheating by educators is on the rise or getting more attention. Some say that the appending No Child Left Behind deadline, which mandates 100 percent of students reach "proficient" levels by 2014, is a possible cause, also addressed in (AJC online) Last, but socially more important, there's the biasness that go along with these test. One of the biggest problems is that they often do not take diversity into acc could include not only race discrimination, and economical discrimination, but disabilities as well. These can include physical disabilities, language delays; ADHD, visual impairments, mental retardation, and the list could go on and on.

There are also the effects on above average or high IQ students; no one is ruled out, we all are affected. In my opinion these tests have one major problem; they are biased against all students. I say this because although I have researched and studied, I am personally affected. I myself have ADHD as well as a brother with a learning disability that had a very hard time making it out of school; we both have dealt with the effects from having these conditions. There are also a few of my friends that are above average students who would also agree with me because they feel that the tests are a waist of their time. I also have watched many of my friend's who are American as well as foreign; struggle with the system, this proves the issue of cultural biasness, which can be just as affective. When listening to the conversations of my parents and family members I learned that this is all making many people angry because it groups parts of society and bring on stereotypes; this in my opinion and the opinions of many others is not good for society as a whole. In May 2007 a professor of psychology in education at Arizona, Mr. Stafford Hood said, “There has been a long history of bias in the development of standardized testing.” (http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=35935) In recent research it has been founded that test creators are still purposefully picking items for a test that will create score spread; they choose questions for the test that half of the students will get wrong instead of items that measure something students are actually taught.

This is a vicious cycle that needs to change. I truly hope that in my endeavors I can convince more people to help do away with these problems. In Conclusion; why place such value on one test when throughout the year there's many ways of evaluating how strong a student is, and without devaluing all of their efforts from beginning of the year to the end of year. Some may strongly believe that these “high-staking; pain staking” test are important and help provide substantial meaning to the educational career, but in my opinion they are superficial. I fully acknowledge that without a great education perseverance is not possible. I also agree with the idea that some testing helps evaluate what a student's strengths and weaknesses are, but at what cost and to what extreme. The end to the headache, pain and misery; economically, socially, spiritually and physically is warranted. Let's join together as one and make a stand. Let's put a stop to the pressure. Let's get the word out on how we as students and teacher feel; where one petition begins another will follow, our voices will not be heard unless we make them heard. One famous quote to remember, "If You Don't Stand For Something. You'll Fall For Anything!” Before it's all said and done our efforts will result in progression. I know my position and will make it effective. One day this cruel effect on humanity will be no longer!