What's Wrong with Standardized Tests?

What's wrong with standardized tests and why do some people oppose them so strongly?

Most opponents of standardized tests don't oppose the tests or tests in general altogether. What opponents want is meaningful reform to how tests are used, reduction of the emphasis placed on tests, change in the content of standardized tests, fewer tests, more accurate tests, and standardized tests that are more fair for all test takers.

   

Currently, standardized tests are being used not only to evaluate students, but teacher performance as well. This can cause several problems because standardized tests were not designed to double as a way of evaluating teachers. Opponents of standardized tests think that a teacher's job security should not be based so strongly on how well a student performs on a test.

Standardized tests come with a lot of pressure. Pressure to do well and advance in school, pressure for teachers to make sure their students perform well, and pressure to balance being ready for these tests with other things that need to be done. The pressure put on teachers sometimes requires them to teach their students the test. This practice, while ensuring decent test scores, does little to prepare students for life outside of the classroom.

Standardized tests aren't always as accurate as they could be. Test makers sometimes make errors, the standard measure of error on many tests is enough to call into question their accuracy, and test books are sometimes altered.

Tests are made by fallible and biased humans and the tests aren't necessarily fair to or accommodate people who think or understand things differently than the test makers.

Tests, especially multiple choice tests, don't encourage students to think critically, independently, or creatively. The tests emphasize memorization and intaking information and outputting the information in a similar format.

Over testing can also be a problem. About 100 million standardized tests are administered to students each year in America. In some areas, over 200 tests are given to grades k-12 a year. That's over 15 high stakes test a year per grade.

Opponents of standardized tests think that there are other, less stressful and more constructive ways of educating and evaluating students. For example, shorter tests, fewer tests, in class assessments, and tests that encourage thinking instead of pure memorization.