Almas 1

Are Standardized Tests doing their job fully?

Standardized tests and their impact on students

Sana Almas

AP Literature 1

Mr. Janosch

11/30/18
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Are Standardized Tests doing their job fully?

In the United States, an average student in public school takes mandatory 112

standardized tests between pre-Kindergarten and 12th grade​. Standardized tests are unfair as they

focus on memorization rather than measure a student’s intelligence; thus, they must be

abandoned to be equal for everyone. Standardized testing has been a common indicator of a

student’s ability for a long time. Although it is successful at determining a student’s current level

of strengths and weaknesses, it is not always the best choice as some schools focus heavily on

that, disregarding the other abilities such as their grades, volunteering and useful skills one might

have. ​Valerie Strauss, an author, and publisher who is known for her work in the standardized

testing field, re-published an article about a student named Ankur Singh who wrote about his

experience regarding the various standardized testings and his feelings. He was an A-star student

and he enjoyed his English class in his junior year of High School as his teacher made them

analyze poems, form and argue their own ideas rather than focusing on memorizing the content

of literature which Singh enjoyed and feels those skills will stay with him forever. In his senior

year, he had an AP French class. He had been studying French for many years and was excelling

in that particular class but he suddenly had to sit and keep on doing practice AP tests which he

felt like were of no use and were a waste of time. When he talked to his French teacher about the

issue of SAT, she agreed with him that she would rather have her students explore a French

Bakery than sit and complete an exam for 3 hours which shows only your memorization and no

skills. The student felt defeated and the school was holding him back from his true potential.

Singh is now a college student and he says he’s still not being challenged and all he and his

fellow students do is, “Memorize the textbook and spew it out on the test”. He wishes the burden
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of standardized testing upon students to disappear and thus, create a film regarding students’

emotions toward testings (Strauss).​ The video would illustrate the idea that there is more beneath

the ‘perfect’ score.

The first use of standardized testings in the United States of America happened in the

mid-1800s when two Boston School reformers, Horace Mann and Samuel Gridley Howe

introduced them at Boston’s schools to gather objective information about the quality of

teaching. It was then adopted by the whole nation. The first published multiple-choice test was

known as ‘The Kansas Silent Reading Test’ developed by Kelly, a school director to reduce the

time and effort it takes while scoring. Also, to score the answer sheets, the first test scoring

machine was created in 1938 by IBM who hired a teacher and inventor named Johnson

(“Background of the Issue”).​ The invention of the machine and these tests helped to learn the

current situation and improve the nation’s education system.

The modern way of testing began in 1965 with the ‘Elementary and Secondary

Education’ Act enacted by President Johnson.​ This included testing to raise the standard of

education, making it unbiased. Standardized testing became more prominent and effective in use

after 2002’s ‘No Child Left Behind Act’ which mandated annual testing in all 50 states. This did

not do great as the rank of U.S students excelling in math dropped from being 18th in the world

in 2000 to 40th in 2015, from 14th to 25th in science and from 15th to 24th in reading. It also

cost a lot to the states as it rose from $423 million to $1.1 billion in 2008. In 2010, President

Obama proposed an incentive to the states that if there was an academic improvement related to

the state standards including attendance, learning climate, test scores and graduation rates but the

testing opponents have decried the incentives for their continued reliance on test scores which
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was heard by him in 2011 (“Background of the Issue”).​ Because of these actions and the results,

opponents started to arise against the use of standardized testings.

To be more specific regarding the current tests teenager students have to face,​ the ACT

and SAT was founded by the College Board in 1899. The fee for the test was $5. At this time,

4% of high school graduates went to college. The SAT was made in 1926 by a psychologist who

earlier made tests for the U.S army during World War 1, thus by what the SAT is influenced by

(“A Brief History of the SAT and ACT Tests”).​ As this test, the SAT was made by the person

who was a psychologist, it does nothing to check for the academic level of a student but rather in

the psychological way which should not be like that if the test is used for educational purposes.

Despite the nation’s efforts to raise the standards of education by imposing standardized

testings which have existed for many years. ​A research has found that tests like ACT and SAT

don’t favor low-income and minority students and lack of diversity in many 4-year colleges and

universities. Also, High School grades are the best predictor for the grades in college as they

reflect the hard work of many years rather than a test taken in 3 hours. To build more upon it, the

University of North Carolina Chapel Hill has 72% of its student population have families whose

incomes are in the top quartile of North Carolinians while only 12% of students come from

families in the bottom half of the state’s income so everyone is disadvantaged by SAT or ACT

who is not in the top 10% of the income distribution which also becomes a problem for people of

color such as the black, Hispanic, minorities and especially women (Ovaska and Soares).

Therefore, this test is an accurate predictor of demographics than academically.

The former dean of Admissions at Bates College, William C. Hiss agrees with the

above statement that these standardized testings do not favor students and go against them. ​This
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college stopped requiring standardized tests such as the ACT and the SAT thirty years ago.

Following this, 850 colleges and universities have canceled requiring these tests. He and his

colleagues did a national study which included 123,000 students admitted in public and private

schools with the question in mind, “Do students admitted without SAT or ACT scores succeed in

college?” The result they found was that only 30% of students were admitted into college

without any scores and there was not any major difference in the graduation-rates or the

college-GPA between students who did submit and did not submit their scores (Camera and

Hiss).​ This simplifies that the scores do not make any difference and high school grades and

volunteer work are the two key things rather than a standardized test as it puts those high

achievers at a risk.

An author named Alfie Kohn is also concerned with the issue regarding that many

colleges and universities require SAT or ACT scores and even if they do not, it is preferable to

send them as then it shows that a student is more academic and more than an average student.

For his argument, his important statement is, “Standardized tests tend to measure the temporary

acquisition of facts and skills more than genuine understanding”. Also, the standardized tests are

biased against children from low-income backgrounds as these tests cost tons of money. If you

include the prep books and the tutoring, it costs even more which only affluent families and

districts can afford causing inequality. Kohn did not argue just about the SAT or ACT but also

the standardized testings conducted at schools for young kids. He said, “Schools are eliminating

programs in the arts, recess for young children, electives for high school students, and other

activities to focus on the quest for higher scores”​ (Kohn). This talks about what is happening
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within the schools where the teachers are making the students study for these tests and pressuring

them taking away their freedom and leaving them stressed.

Despite many sources agree that the standardized testings are not fair for the

students and they should be removed, many people disagree with them and say that the

importance of these testings should not be underestimated and are crucial.​ The President of a

research conducted for standardized testings, Camara says that the grading system is different for

each school so the national tests like ACT help in establishing a baseline used to compare every

student ​(Camara and Hiss). ​To add more on this particular view, it has been found that 93% of

studies done on standardized testings show that students perform better academically because of

these tests. China, a country which has students excelling around the world, has been using

standardized testings for a long time and so, it is proved that these tests are beneficial. Moreover,

people argue that including the test-prep in classes make a student and their teachers become

familiar with the tests so it is highly encouraged to do that as then, it generates high scores from

the students​ (“Is the use of standardized tests improving education in America?”). The format of

multiple-choice used in these tests have information that is necessary and easier to understand

improving the American School system.

The other reason why many pieces of research and sources say that standardized tests

should be imposed is that not all schools offer AP courses or honor classes which are used often

to impress colleges and show that a student is capable of more thus, these tests can help impress

colleges and in those schools where these courses are offered, the SAT and the ACT can be

another way to prove themselves ​(“Is the use of standardized tests improving education in

America?”). Last but not least, the federal law requires it and the reason behind it so that the
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school leaders can figure out which ​groups of students like with disabilities, Latino, Hispanic,

Native-Americans and lower-income families need more help and they can change their way of

teaching to suit everyone​ (Wright). These tests are the only way they can know about the

school’s performance and if they need to change the teachers, staff or extra funding to become

more productive. Even if the test is imperfect, it is better to have one to at least try for changes.

To overcome the problem which is arising and the debate of standardized testings being

useful or not, authors and professors, (Boylan) being one of them wants College Board to

remove the emphasis the SAT and ACT have as it should not determine a student’s fate but to

see their 4-years long high school performance as a student but also as a person and the way the

tackled with adversity (Strauss). ​Standardized tests are unfair as they don’t measure a student’s

intelligence but only the memorization; thus, they must be abandoned to be equal for everyone.

Starting to do these little things will make sure to be fair for every student so that all of the hard

work is not wasted.

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Work Cited

Hiss, William C., and Wayne Camara. "Should colleges stop requiring the SAT/ACT? The

admissions exams are now optional at many four-year colleges." New York Times

Upfront, 21 Apr. 2014, p. 23. Popular Magazines,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A365688761/PPPM?u=nysl_me_73_shb&sid=PPPM

&xid=a06df211. Accessed 29 Nov. 2018.

Soares, Joseph, and Sarah Ovaska. "Standardized Tests Discriminate Against Minority and

Lower-Income Students." ​College Admissions​, edited by Dedria Bryfonski, Greenhaven

Press, 2015. Current Controversies. ​Opposing Viewpoints in Context​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010919231/OVIC?u=nysl_me_73_shb&sid=OVI

C&xid=0958e01d. Accessed 29 Nov. 2018. Originally published as "How Standardized

Admissions Tests Fail NC Colleges, Students," ​NC Policy Watch,​ 16 Nov. 2012.

"Concerns About Standardized Testing." ​Gifted Child Today,​ Winter 2001, p. 8. ​General
OneFile,​
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A71761765/GPS?u=nysl_me_73_shb&sid=GPS&
xid=71bd79e3. Accessed 29 Nov. 2018.
“‘Is the Use of Standardized Testings Improving Education in America?".” ​ProCon.org,​
standardizedtests.procon.org/.
Wright, Lane. “Does Standardized Testing Help Students?” ​Education Post,​ 25 May 2018,
educationpost.org/does-standardized-testing-help-students/.
Boylan, Jennifer Finney. The New York Times, The New York Times, 7 Mar. 2014,
www.nytimes.com/2014/03/07/opinion/save-us-from-the-sat.html​.
Strauss, Valerie. The Washington Post, WP Company, 24 Oct. 2015,
www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2015/10/24/confirmed-standardized
-testing-has-taken-over-our-schools-but-whos-to-blame/?utm_term=.d5f2582b2163​.
“‘Background of the Issue.’” ProConorg Headlines,
standardizedtests.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=006521.
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“A Brief History of the SAT and ACT Tests.” A (Mostly) Brief History Of The SAT And
ACT Tests, ​www.erikthered.com/tutor/sat-act-history.html​.
Strauss, Valerie. “One Teen's Standardized Testing Horror Story (and Where It Will Lead).”
The Washington Post, WP Company, 9 Nov. 2012,
www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2012/11/09/one-teens-standardized-
testing-horror-story-and-where-it-will-lead/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.e026216710f
6.
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Work Cited