Should Standardized Tests be Eliminated?

[5Lauren]

 

Standardized tests have been around since the mid 1800s, but do they actually give us an accurate view on students progress? Many people say no. Standardized tests such as the ACT and SAT are normally taken during your sophomore and junior years of high school, and they are used on college applications and scholarship applications. Many students believe that both of these tests only show which students are good at taking tests, not what they actually know. The ACT and SAT tests take about 3 hours to complete, and many teenagers can’t stay focused for this long with few breaks. During both of these tests, the students get 3 five minute breaks, which many students say is not near enough time to give their minds a break.

 

Another standardized test that many people believe should be banned is the ISASP. This test takes a lot of learning time away from students, and there are many other ways to gauge if a child is improving in the classroom. If many students score badly on the ISASP test, it can lead to that school district receiving less money. The schools are then forced to lay off students, which means that those students aren’t getting the help they might need in the classroom. There are many instances of schools letting kids cheat on these tests so they don’t get less money in the coming year.

 

All in all, there are many arguments against standardized testing as a whole. Many school districts have pushed to get rid of standardized testing, but since the government regulates this testing, they have no choice. Each state is required to administer testing for reading, language arts, and math for grades 3-8 and at least one time in high school. They are also required to give out the science test once in elementary school, once in middle school, and once in high school. Personally, I don’t think the ACT, SAT, and ISASP tests have much of a benefit on students. If anything, it causes more stress on the students, because if they don’t score well it can keep them from getting scholarships or getting into college. I also think that making 3rd graders take standardized tests is not beneficial at all, and it takes away from their time in the classroom.

 

Do you think that standardized tests should be eliminated?

 

Do you think that 3rd grade is too young to be giving standardized tests?

 

https://www.civilbeat.org/2016/05/why-standardized-testing-needs-to-be-abolished/ 

https://www.scillsspartners.org/federal-requirements-for-state-assessments/#:~:text=Under%20the%20Every%20Student%20Succeeds,9%2C%20and%2010%2D12.

[7Hayden]

I don't particularly appreciate taking standardized tests. I think that they are useless.  I also believe that others would agree with me.  I think that other people will be better off if we went away from the standardized test. It would give us an extra week of school to learn. 

[5Lauren]

I agree that by eliminating these tests, it can give students more learning time in the classroom.

[5Addison]

I agree that standardized testing can cause a large amount of stress. I do think that standardized testing should be eliminated because I don't think that it truly shows students' knowledge and performance. I also agree that 3rd grade is too young to be giving standardized test.

[5Lauren]

I agree that basing students knowledge solely off of standardized tests is unfair to students who struggle with taking tests.

[5Aubrey]

I think that standardized tests cause a lot of stress and it would be okay for them to go. I also think that 3rd grade is really young to start giving standardized tests. The standardized tests don't show our knowledge and some preform better on those tests than others no matter their knowlege. I think that the tests are worth too much and colleges and schools shouldn't place so much stress on those tests. 

[5Lauren]

I agree that colleges rely heavily on these tests, which can stress students out even more.

[5Danny]

I think standardized tests should go, many people struggle on tests like these and often do badly, it can put a lot of stress on the students and they end up just word vomiting on the test itself and don't memorize the material. it's ineffective.

[5Lauren]

I agree, and not being able to prepare for these tests can stress students out even more.

[7Molly]

I think that they should get rid of standardized tests because of the stress it can put on people. I think that if you know most of the material then you should be fine, because you cant remember everything and by stressing over it, it can cause you to fail or forget other things from other classes. 

[5Lauren]

Personally, I do worse on tests when I don't know what the test will be over, or if I get to a question I don't remember learning. It can stress a lot of people out during these tests because they don't know what will be on it.