Credit... Hedof. There are better ways to spend such large sums of money. A standardized test could determine the knowledge a student has about musical theory, but it cannot judge the quality of a composition that a student might create. Since the mid-1800s, standardized tests have been part of American education. At the most fundamental level, education policy shaped by standardized test scores is at odds with the deepest of all societal needs — human survival. 5. They should also be used, in a limited capacity, to assess how well schools are doing. Veteran Florida educator, Marion Brady, outlines 34 problems with standardized tests. Standardized Testing (By the Numbers) by Chris Mumford, Hey Teach! Standardized Tests. Standardized testing is a billion dollar industry paid for by tax payers. Take the SAT, the mainstay of college admissions. Facts & Statistics About Standardized Testing. How do schools use standardized tests? Science Education. Teacher evaluations have been tied to standardized test results. Low scores can prevent a student from advancing to the next grade or lead to school closings and teacher dismissals while high scores factor into tenure decisions and continued federal funding. April 19, 2018; Is there too much standardized testing at your school? By Natalie Proulx. Many teachers are being evaluated on the work that their students do on a standardized test. Content Manager, M.A. Do you feel pressure from … HOW STANDARDIZED TESTING DAMAGES EDUCATION. Since the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002, with its accompanying mandated annual testing, the use of standardized tests has skyrocketed. The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) era has seen an unprecedented expansion of standardized testing and test misuse. Many school buildings are in desperate need of repairs, students use the same dated textbooks that their parents used, and the class sizes in most schools are way too large for efficient learning. Standardized tests are constructed to test students on what they should know. Here are a few negative effects of standardized testing: Commercially-produced, machine-scored standardized tests are unavoidably biased by social-class, ethnic, regional, and other cultural differences. Cons of standardized testing. When it comes to standardized testing, there's no shortage of controversy. When standardized testing came about it was and should still be designed objectively, without any bias and to accurately assess a student’s academic knowledge around all the states. Take the SAT, the mainstay of college admissions. But what do the facts actually say? Standardized testing effects on teachers. Between 2000 and 2009, American students dropped from 18th to 31st place in mathematics in the world. Both sides are vocal about the pros and cons of standardized testing and the high stakes increasingly riding on the outcome. ... -Standardized testing has not improved student achievement, and in fact after the No Child Left Behind Act passed in 2002, the US dropped from 18th in math on the Program for International Students (PISA) to 31st in 2009. While standardized tests pros and cons exist, I believe the key is to use the test results as a guide for teachers, parents, and students.