Standardized tests not needed

Standardized tests not needed

Standardized testing costs states 1.7$ billion a year overall for the U.S., according to Education Week.

How useful are these tests though? Many scholars have agreed that standardized tests do not accurately measure what a student has learned in the classroom. Though it is still believed that standardized tests are a reliable measure of a student’s achievement. However, this belief could be credited with companies that make the tests which are multi billion dollar companies.

A study also showed that only about 25% of teachers thought tests were an adequate reflection of student learning, according to procon.org. So why are we still using these tests if only a fourth of the people who are preparing students take these tests think they actually work.

This 25% could be the ones whose students are doing well on the tests and getting praise for this. This 25% is too low though. We should not be using tests that only 25% instructors thought accurately recorded students learning. This does not mean though that the other 75% of teachers are bad teachers. According to Education Week standardized tests do not adequately show teaching quality. It is because standardized test are a one size fits all and a one size fits all do not always fit right. This is why it seems some students are learning and the rest really are not. For that reason standardized tests need to be changed or find a different way of measuring student learning and a teacher’s teaching ability.

Standardized tests can just be taken out of the learning curriculum. While there might not be any annual tests to measure student achievement it might not matter. Due to the fact that many students just do not try on the tests. Whether the reason is the tests do not affect their grades, they do not try on tests, or they just do not care. It just shows that the tests do not always accurately measure student progression.

The standardized tests can be replaced with portfolio based assessment. This where over time the student is evaluated by his teachers, grades, and piers to give an understanding of the students work ethic. The advantage to these is they help better understand the student and his achievements throughout their time and school.

By taking into account of attitude, working with others, and motivation. Plus the assessments are made by the teacher, this will better evaluate a teacher’s teaching ability. Even if we do not use portfolio based assessments standardized tests need to be changed or switched out for something. In short they are a waste of time and money and do not properly measure student learning and a teacher’s ability.