981107 Pd.

3 Cullen Failing to Meet Standards The collapse of Standardized Testing Our nations dependency on standardized tests to measure school effectiveness is no longer adequate. Standardized testing is a flawed system that places pressure on students, teachers and parents. Standardized testing was launched in order to measure student knowledge and intellectual growth. This method was designed to help improve instruction and gear students towards higher academic standards. However, the discontent voiced by teachers and parents surrounding standardized testing is overwhelming. In a national survey of 10,000 educators in 2012, by the Scholastic and the Gates Foundation, only 7% of educator saw standardized tests as useful. The stress standardized tests place on teachers is excessive. Many test scores are now tied to teacher and school evaluations, and low test scores can potentially end an educators career. As a result, some teacher feel encouraged to cheat by correcting scantrons or feeding students test answers. In a 2011 study conducted by USA Today, there were 1,610 incredulous anomalies in test scores throughout the United States. Teachers have resulted to teaching to the test, which narrows the curriculum and hinders students from acquiring an extensive knowledge of a subject. This practice not only limits the depth of information, but fails to teach students fundamental skills such as critical thinking. Additionally, many test questions, answers and scores were found to be erroneous. Flaws in testing have caused some students to be denied diplomas or entry into prestigious programs. According to a year-long investigation conducted by the Journal-Constitution, it was found that in one out of 10 tests nationwide, up to 10% of questions were fallacious. Standardize testing is

981107 Pd. 3 Cullen also an inadequate tool to measure student improvement. According to the Brookings Institution, 50-80% of all testing improvements in 2012 were temporary, and were not correlated to long term learning. However, fairness in testing goes beyond flawed scores and into an educational disparity among socio-economic backgrounds. Standardized testing poses an unfair advantage to middle income, and upper income students. In study conducted my College Board on the correlation between SAT scores and income, it was found students who came from households with an income over 200,000 dollars, on average scored 560 on writing and math, whereas students from the lowest income group, 20,000 or less, had writing and math scores that averaged a mere 430. Students with higher test scores are more likely to test into advanced level courses such as gifted and talented programs, honors classes and college preparatory. Meanwhile, their peers who come from low income households are more inclined to be placed in lower level courses. These less rigorous classes are often taught to the test. Standardized tests are meant to equalize education and aid students to meet high education standards; however Schools are failing to seal the learning gap between students. School systems nationwide place enormous pressure on students to perform well on tests and bombard students with testing practice, drills and worksheets. Scores on standardize tests determine the amount of funding a school receives. Higher scores typically lead to more funds. The school systems reliance on high test scores leads schools to push students to meet expectations out of desperation. Its not that standardized testing should be eliminated. Standardized tests offers a raw display of student knowledge, but our nations current method of measuring our education

981107 Pd. 3 Cullen systems performance results must be reformed. The United States relies heavily on standardized testing more than any other economically advanced nation. Countries with higher ranked education systems such as Singapore and Finland, use systems of more multidisciplinary, progressive and creative learning. According to the United Nations Global Education First Initiative, the U.S. whose education system was once number one in the world has drastically dropped to 17th. Evidently, standardize testing has failed to help our lagging educational system, therefore our methods to measure student success and placement should be revised by Congress and State Boards of Education.