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/
Replies
I don't think that standardized should be eliminated because it helps us know what level of thinking we are at in different subjects. It also helps colleges know if you are a good addition to their college. I do however think that 3rd grade was far too young for us to start doing these tests. I think it should have started in 5th grade instead of 3rd.
I think that 5th grade would be a great age to start these tests, because more kids can handle the stress at that age.
It is hard to say to eliminate these tests because if they are not taken then how will it be determened how much money each school gets? Though personally I am bias twards removing them because they cause added stress and normally give me a headache because it takes too long and hurts my head from too long looking at the papers.
I personally think that schools should get funding based on both the total amount of students and grades the students receive.
I think that the results of standardized tests are not really accurate because some people, including me, are not the best test takers. Its not that we don't know the material, but that the test is timed and we feel stressed or the question needs to be presented in a clearer way. It is also hard for those of us who are in advanced classes because in some cases, we learned the material last year, and it doesn't always stick with you. It is also hard for those students who are behind because they have never even been introduced to any of the material. Personally, I think that there are other ways to get college scolarships than taking a test. It need to be based off a variety of things.
I agree that one of the biggest issues with standardized tests is that maybe you learned the material in a previous year or you haven't learned it yet, which stresses out students even more.
Standardized tests are necessary for the progression of students after highschool. Its not like they make you take these tests for no reason. I think they should start giving standardized tests to middle school and above because kids under middle school don't have the attention span and mental capacity to sit through a test that long.
I agree that they should raise the age that students start taking these tests.
no, I do not think that they should be eliminated because it can help you get into a college for free or many scholarships and it shoes how smart you are and what you know and what you don't know
I see your point, and I think that the ACT and SAT are more important than the ISASPs.
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