Should Standardized Testing Be Mandatory Essay

Words: 548
Pages: 3

Why is it mandatory that we take standardized tests? Standardized tests do not measure a person’s ability. If a student’s tests score are high then people think that teachers are effective but, if a student's test scores are low then people think that teachers are ineffective. There are many reasons why standardized tests should not be mandatory, scores don't provide an accurate educational effectiveness, test developers are obligated to create a “one size fits all test”, there is little research that has looked at the effects of improving test scores, and what is taught in schools is not always the same.
Scores do not provide an accurate educational effectiveness. Tests have a different measurement mission that indicates how good or bad a school is. All of the tests that students take show how good or bad a school is. If test scores are high, people think that the staff is effective
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Test developers are obligated to create a one size fits all assessment. Designers of the tests do their best job in selecting test items that are likely to measure all of the areas knowledge. Most people know that from trying to wear one size fits all clothes; sometimes one size really can not fit all! Standardized tests are not likely to measure all of content areas knowledge and skills that our nation's educators regard as important.
There has been little research that has looked at the effect of improving test performance. 1400 eighth graders, attending traditional, exam and charter public schools in Boston were tested. Good test takers already had high levels of working memory, processing speed and abstract reasoning skills (Kaufman). The quality of education the received played little role in the growth of cognitive ability (Kaufman). Also the school that a student attended and the quality of education they received played little told in the growth of test