Standardized Testing

standardized testing is a hot topic among high school students and their parents. In the spring, when most schools begin their end of year testing, the complaint level definitely goes up from teachers, students, and parents.

                Often times the student will argue, "Well, I am in an honors class so why should I be taking this test?" or "Standardized tests do not prove anything, they just help the district get their numbers." And usually the teacher will respond with, "Take it anyway, it is only an hour." Why do these students ask questions when it is obvious that they have not done research on exactly what these tests are for? What are these tests for?

                It is quite possible that students in America are tested much more than countries like Finland, Japan, or England when it comes to standardized tests such as the SAT, ACT, or common core tests. However, professionals that study the testing systems in these countries agree that American students definitely have itway easier than these other students when it comes to stress levels or the difficulty of their standardized tests. American students are given tests at the end of every year of school as well as a test to get into most universities and colleges. In England, students are given a test in the middle of high school to decide whether they can complete high school or not. Talk about stress. Then in Finland there is not a test until the end of high school to see which university will accept the students who pass. If a student does not pass these tests- that can take up to 40 hours- there is basically a zero percent chance of them achieving any dreams they may have had that involved an education beyond high school. Finally, in Japan the students must take an exam to be accepted into high school, and if they make it that far then they must also pass an exam to get into a university. In Finland and Japan the universities are the ones that provide the entrance exams.

                Looking at just the US, there are many pros and cons to these standardized tests. Studies have shown that a vast majority of students actually show a "positive effect" for achievement using high-stake and standardized tests. These tests have also been deemed as fair for all students. They are computer graded so there is no teacher using biased to grade. There are also no questions that are made to fit a specific set of students and help them get better grades then the rest of the students taking the test. On the flip side, there are no questions that are made to fit a specific set of students, including students with special needs or language difficulties.

                Looking just at America, standardized testing does not seem appealing. It seems that we test our students too much and starting at too young an age. However, when comparing America to other countries' testing systems, America has a very relaxed testing set up. ​