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One-size-fits-all approach: Standardized tests typically employ a uniform format and set of questions for all test-takers, regardless of their diverse backgrounds, learning styles, or individual strengths and weaknesses. This approach fails to account for the unique abilities and needs of each student.

Narrow assessment of skills: Standardized tests often focus on assessing a limited range of skills, such as memorization, problem-solving within a time constraint, and test-taking strategies. They may not effectively measure other important skills, such as creativity, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, or practical application of knowledge.

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If you didn't answer "all of the above," then: A. You haven't been paying attention, or B. You work for a testing software company.

develop a thorough analysis in an essay; conduct a laboratory investigation; curate a portfolio of student work; or complete an original research paper.

PBA allows students to demonstrate knowledge and skill through critical-thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, and the application of knowledge to real-world situations. In other words, it helps students prepare for college, career, and life.

And when they share with the class, that helps reinforces everyone's learning, she explains. None of this is possible in an individual test.

PBA also removes bias and creates more equity. For example, Holland recalls a state standardized test question about decomposition for eighth-grade science: "The question asked about grass clippings after mowing the lawn, and students got hung up on 'grass clippings,'" she says. "Some had no idea what they were because they either lived in apartments and had no lawns, or they had lawns but didn't mow them because they had landscapers."

Stronger Relationships with Students

"Students always say that working together was the best part," he says. That's the best part for the teachers, too, because it helps them build stronger relationships with students.

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Standardized Testing is Still Failing Students | NEA

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Educators have long known that standardized tests are an inaccurate and unfair measure of student progress. There's a better way to assess students.

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Cultural and linguistic biases: Standardized tests may contain language or cultural references that are unfamiliar or biased against certain groups of students, including non-native English speakers, students from minority backgrounds, or those from different cultural or socioeconomic contexts. This can result in unfair and inaccurate assessments of their abilities.

Test anxiety and stress: For many students, standardized testing can be a source of significant stress and anxiety, which may negatively impact their performance. Test anxiety can affect concentration, memory recall, and problem-solving abilities, leading to lower test scores that do not accurately reflect the student's true capabilities.

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15 Reasons Why Standardized Tests are Problematic

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It’s wonderful to see all the protests around the country against standardized testing. At Garfield High School in Seattle, Washington, teachers are refusing to administer the Measures of Academic Pro

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Focus on rote memorization: Standardized tests often prioritize rote memorization of facts and formulas over deeper understanding and critical thinking skills. This can lead to a "teach to the test" mentality in classrooms, where educators focus on drilling students on test-specific content rather than fostering genuine learning and intellectual curiosity.

Limited feedback for improvement: Standardized tests typically provide little to no feedback to students on their performance beyond a numerical score or percentile ranking. This lack of detailed feedback makes it difficult for students to identify their strengths and weaknesses and take meaningful steps to improve their skills.

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The use of standardized testing to measure academic achievement in US schools has fueled debate for nearly two decades. Understanding the effects of standardized testing-its key benefits and challenges-requires a closer examination of what standardized testing is and how it's used in academic settings.

Developing ways to effectively and fairly measure academic achievement is an ongoing challenge for school administrators. For those inspired to promote greater equity in education, American University's Online Doctor of Education (EdD) in Education Policy and Leadership provides the knowledge and training to address such challenges.

What Are Standardized Tests?

Standardized tests are examinations administered and scored in a predetermined, standard manner. They typically rely heavily on question formats, such as multiple choice and true or false, that can be automatically scored. Not limited to academic settings, standardized tests are widely used to measure academic aptitude and achievement.

The ACT and SAT, standardized tests used broadly for college admissions, assess students' current educational development and their aptitude for completing college-level work. Standardized academic achievement tests are mandatory in primary and secondary schools in the US, where they're designed and administered at the state or local level and used to assess requirements for federal education funding.

Standardized testing requirements are designed to hold teachers, students, and schools accountable for academic achievement and to incentivize improvement. They provide a benchmark for assessing problems and measuring progress, highlighting areas for improvement.

Despite these key benefits, standardized academic achievement tests in US public schools have been controversial since their inception. Major points of contention have centered on who should design and administer tests (federal, state, or district level), how often they should be given, and whether they place some school districts at an advantage or disadvantage. More critically, parents and educators have questioned whether standardized tests are fair to teachers and students.

Effects of Standardized Testing on Students

Some of the challenging potential effects of standardized testing on students are as follows:

Standardized test scores are often tied to important outcomes, such as graduation and school funding. Such high-stakes testing can place undue stress on students and affect their performance.

Standardized tests fail to account for students who learn and demonstrate academic proficiency in different ways. For example, a student who struggles to answer a multiple-choice question about grammar or punctuation may be an excellent writer.

By placing emphasis on reading, writing, and mathematics, standardized tests have devalued instruction in areas such as the arts, history, and electives.

Standardized tests are thought to be fair because every student takes the same test and evaluations are largely objective, but a one-size-fits-all approach to testing is arguably biased because it fails to account for variables such as language deficiencies, learning disabilities, difficult home lives, or varying knowledge of US cultural conventions.

Effects of Standardized Testing on Teachers

Teachers as well as students can be challenged by the effects of standardized testing. Common issues include the following:

The need to meet specific testing standards pressures teachers to "teach to the test" rather than providing a broad curriculum.

Teachers have expressed frustration about the time it takes to prepare for and administer tests.

Teachers may feel excessive pressure from their schools and administrators to improve their standardized test scores.

Standardized tests measure achievement against goals rather than measuring progress.

Achievement test scores are commonly assumed to have a strong correlation with teaching effectiveness, a tendency that can place unfair blame on good teachers if scores are low and obscure teaching deficiencies if scores are high.

Alternative Achievement Assessments

Critics of standardized testing often point to various forms of performance-based assessments as preferable alternatives. Known by various names (proficiency-based, competency-based), they require students to produce work that demonstrates high-level thinking and real-world applications. Examples include an experiment illustrating understanding of a scientific concept, group work that addresses complex problems and requires discussion and presentation, or essays that include analysis of a topic.

Portfolio-based assessments emphasize the process of learning over letter grades and normative performance. Portfolios can be made up of physical documents or digital collections. They can include written assignments, completed tests, honors and awards, art and graphic work, lab reports, or other documents that demonstrate either progress or achievement. Portfolios can provide students with an opportunity to choose work they wish to reflect on and present.

Performance-based assessments aren't a practical alternative to standardized tests, but they offer a different way of evaluating knowledge that can provide a more complete picture of student achievement. Determining which systems of evaluation work best in specific circumstances and is an ongoing challenge for education administrators.

Work for Better Student Outcomes with a Doctorate in Education

Addressing the most critical challenges facing educators, including fair and accurate assessment of academic achievement, requires administrators with exceptional leadership and policy expertise. Discover how the Online EdD in Education Policy and Leadership at American University prepares educators to create equitable learning environments and effect positive change.

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Effects of Standardized Testing on Students & Teachers | American University

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What are the effects of standardized testing on students and teachers? Explore how standardized tests are used, including their key benefits and challenges.