Essay Sample about Arguing Against Standardized Testing

📌Category: Education, Learning, Standardized testing
📌Words: 418
📌Pages: 2
📌Published: 02 April 2022

Schools today put too much time and effort into end of the year standardized tests. Teachers end up teaching based only on what is going to be covered in the test, which is a narrower span of information. The testing is expensive and requires a lot of time from a lot of people. Lots of parents are pulling their children out of tests and attracting the attention of lawmakers.  

Some people believe that standardized testing is a waste of money. According to an article called ‘Did You Know?’ since 2002, the cost of testing has seen a 160% increase. “Annual state spending on standardized tests rose from $423 million to almost $1.1 billion in 2008” the article states. Many people look at this and call it a waste of money. The amount of time that is spent in preparation for the tests is too much. Parents and teachers both argue that too much time is wasted preparing for the tests. 

Standardized testing causes issues for students and teachers as well. Rosemarie Jensen, former teacher with two children, says that testing “is not a valid way to measure an entire child”. She says that her son is a good student, but is not good at taking tests, which reflects badly on his teachers. However, China, a country that uses standardized testing and has been using it for a long time, beat all the other countries in the international rankings for math, science and reading. Some people think that we should continue with standardized testing because of this. That said, not all students do well when it comes to high pressure testing, and less emphasis should be placed on the outcome of them. 

Parents across the country are pulling their children out of testing. Parents protesting the tests are causing lawmakers to discuss new rules that more people will stand behind regarding the testing. According to “Tests, and Consequences, May Change” Congress is meeting to discuss rewriting the 2002 law, No Child Left Behind. The original purpose was to make the educational opportunities more equal between rich and poor communities. Parents have been pressuring lawmakers to change the laws regarding testing, and it has not only been parents. Susie Morrison, the chief education officer, and the superintendent of the Illinois State Board of Education, said; “We need fewer, better and fairer assessments.” Her opinion is echoed by parents across the country. 

The increased cost of standardized testing and the protesting from parents, teachers, and students, is drawing more attention to the concerns about the testing. Lawmakers are considering revisions to the laws regarding standardized assessments. The amount of emphasis on the end of year standardized tests is too much, and hopefully a change is coming. 

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