Essay on Standardized Testing Is Counterproductive

Excessive testing has been integrated in the public school system to measure student intelligence, observe teacher proficiency, and distribute federal funds since the passage of the No Child Left behind Act (NCLBA) of 2001. The (NCLBA) ‘‘called for 100% of the nation’s public school students to become proficient in mathematics and reading by 2014’’ through the usage of standardized testing (Hanson 3). Since the inception of this policy there have been numerous issues involved in these tests. ‘‘Instead of providing equal access for all children, the frenetic use of mandated testing in schools and in teacher education is having the opposite effect’’ (Richardson 34). Standardized testing is an ineffective and outdated tool that creates a†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬Ëœin any large scale testing system, three kinds of errors are possible: errors of test construction (items with more than one correct response), error s of scoring (items marked wrong when they are right), and errors of reporting (reporting that 50 percent of students passed when actually 75 percent did)’’ (Nichols 143). A manmade test is susceptible to typos and other obstructions. Since they are scored by machines, errors and malfunctions can occur. Testing plays an important in student’s academic futures and needs to provide completely accurate information. Proponents in favor of standardized testing believe it is effective. ‘‘There is a fundamental assumption that test taking is a singular experience for students’’ (Ryan 5). Those in favor of it argue standardized testing is equally pushed onto every school in every state. In addition, that everyone has equal time to prepare for the tests. Therefor everyone is subjected to the same rules and regulations creating uniform equality. Other arguments in favor of testing state that tests provide information that helps improve schools. The scores from tests show what areas a student needs the most help in. Test results can show if a school needs to alter its teaching program. The strenuous environments prepare students for higher education, simultaneously forcing students to learn a wide array of material. Finally, that they strengthen a student’s work ethic and it preparesShow MoreRelatedThe New York City Department Of Education992 Words   |  4 Pagesfor students in the city’s struggling schools† (â€Å"Standardized Testing Is Counterproductive, Corrosive and Corrupting†). Several studies have detailed the damage and disruption the city’s closure policy had on struggling schools in high-need populations with significant academic challenges (Fruchter). Bloomberg’s education policies were guided by The No Child Left Behind law, which required standardized test-based school reform including annual testing, greater flexibility for states and increased teacherRead MoreEssay On The Standards Within Society1233 Words   |  5 Pagesstandards, change our expectations, and face the realities of the various problems. Nationalization of the system would allow for a federal set of standards for all public schools so that we can properly interpret the information we gather from standardized tests. We need to change the expectations we have for students and accept that not everyone does not have the same level o f intelligence and accommodate those differences. We need to also have better expectations for teachers, and in doing so reconsiderRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of Standardized Testing794 Words   |  4 Pageswhy school testing should happen more frequently and why parents and teachers should be less fearful of standardized tests. 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There have been movements to abolish homework as well as movements to increaseRead MoreStandardized Testing Is Not As Harmless1394 Words   |  6 Pages but they often only make it worse as they add to the ever increasing stress load of the impending doom of standardized testing. Standardized Testing is not as harmless as it seems. It often affects students on a mental level, making them extremely nervous, then breaking them down on a mental level. It also hurts the teachers in many ways, including temptation to cheat. Standardized testing is at a new high in America and is said to benefit students in many ways, including raising intelligence, howeverRead More The Controversy of Standardized Testing Essay1492 Words   |  6 PagesThe Con troversy of Standardized Testing â€Å"No issue in the U.S. Education is more controversial than (standardized) testing. Some people view it as the linchpin of serious reform and improvement, others as a menace to quality teaching and learning† (Phelps). A tool that educators use to learn about students and their learning capabilities is the standardized test. Standardized tests are designed to give a common measure of a student’s performance. Popular tests include the SAT, IQ tests, RegentsRead MorePersuasive Essay On Standardized Testing1316 Words   |  6 Pagesthemselves through five hours of gruelling testing. All of this nightmarish workload is completed just for the opportunity to attend a college of some recognition and ultimately gain a job in the workforce.   Ã‚  Ã‚   I think it can be agreed by all students that nobody enjoys the ludicrous amount of extra studying that is brought with these tests. It is only an added stress on an already tumultuous time of a young person’s life, and the modification of the standardized test should be seen as an important chapterRead MoreCase Study 3 Essay1206 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Nikki Hoffman-Schepers Language and Standardized Testing In todays society, we continually see an influx in immigrants on an annual basis. The majority of these immigrant students are subsequently placed in English as a Second Language (ESL) courses due to their low skill level in the English language. Have ESL students in the classroom certainly raises more questions than it does answers, as teachers are faced with various new situations in helping ESL students better understand not only theRead MoreClassroom Makeover, By Cathy Davidson Essay1424 Words   |  6 Pagesand advanced. While the gifted and talented students are applauded for their intellectual capabilities and natural talents, other students are labeled as average or less skilled. Placement into these programs are rooted from the results of standardized testing, which students and teachers spend a great amount of time preparing for. Preparation for these exams alter the curriculum and objective for learning all together. Some education systems seem to focus more on teaching to test rather than teachingRead MoreThe Adaptable and Progressive Nation of the United States935 Words   |  4 Pagesthe other areas of the country has progressed. In fact, it has contradicted any sense of adaptability and progression, instead it has regressed. Testing as means of evaluation, from the first intelligent quotient to the stress of todays ACT, has been on a major upswing. The emphasis on measuring students mostly, almost exclusively, through testing cripples students and the country as a whole. Most, if not all, politicians run stating I am for education. However, that slogan can be translated