Standardized Testing: Is it hurting or helping today’s students
Since the beginning of the modern education system, children have been tested to determine how well they knew the material that was being taught. Testing has always been the fail-proof way to see how the teaching strategy was working. Recently, standardized testing has been put into place as a way for federal government to see how the schools are performing. There has been a lot of controversy on this topic, whether or not standardized testing is correct way to determine how a school is performing. This testing is called high-stakes testing; both educators and parents are fed up with this system. High-stakes testing should be removed from the schools systems.
In 2001, the Bush …show more content…
There are a few different solutions that could be put into place for standardized testing, some of which include: sampling, stealth assessments, multiple measures and inspections. According to Kamenetz, an author for npr, has written an article explaining what these solutions are and what they involve. She stated that sampling was, “a simple approach. The same tests, just fewer of 'em. Accountability could be achieved at the district level by administering traditional standardized tests to a statistically representative sampling of students, rather than to every student every year.” Stealth assessments are invisible tests put into place by textbook companies that also provide math and English software with questionnaires that students complete. Every answer that is collected by the companies and it is late interpreted. It is said that these tests will reduce many of the test anxieties that student receive from standardized testing (Kamenetz). The multiple measures solution is, “a simple approach. The same tests, just fewer of 'em. Accountability could be achieved at the district level by administering traditional standardized tests to a statistically representative sampling of students, rather than to every student every year (Kamenetz). Some of the measures include: game-based assessments, social and emotional skill surveys, and portfolio based assessments (Kamenetz). The last solution could be inspections. According to Kamenetz, inspections are, “Inspectors observe lessons, look at student work and interview both students and staff