Standardized Tests Are Biased and Unfair Essays - 1984 Words

How standardized are standardized tests? In America, we strive to perfect them as well as give our students an education they deserve but at what cost? Standardized tests have been the easiest way to ultimately evaluate a student against every other student in America. However, standardized tests are not as great as they are made out to be. We need to take a step back and look at the faults of standardized tests. Quite simply: Standardized tests are not standardized. Standardized tests are biased to certain students whether it is race, or even how much money the parent(s) earn. According to Standardized Testing and Its Victims by Alfie Kohn, the tests are a lot easier for children coming from richer communities like Dublin for example,†¦show more content†¦In the journal article, â€Å"Why Not a National Test for Everyone† by Michael Smith, I found out there are two skills that need to be learned for any test and that is: How to take a test and knowing the material (2010, p. 58). I do agree with this statement because it is so easy for a student to guess their answers to a multiple choice test rather than a short answer where knowledge is needed. However, some multiple choice tests are useful; for example, English and reading comprehension (Zimmerman, 2014). In dealing with math questions students can typically plug in answers to the question or figure out ways on their calculators to get the answer and show no work other than wha t they are doing to get around the real work that is usually needed (Smith, 2010, p. 58). I think this is true because students are learning the application to math problems in most math classes which teaches them how to get around tedious math problems with the use of their graphing calculators, i.e., expensive. This is showing that students that have the right tools to get around such problems might not know how to do the math in the real world. Although these tests now have limits on what kind of calculators a person can use, they still can get around the math problems. Not to mention, poor students cannot afford a graphing calculator in most cases. In my opinion, it is not standard at all. Teachers often teach to the test. If a state requires aShow MoreRelatedThe Pros And Cons Of Standardized Testing1458 Words   |  6 Pagesor ACT. The ACT and SAT are both standardized test used by colleges to determine the knowledge of a student and predict what their performance will be in their first year of college. An immense amount of pressure is put on student to receive certain scores in order to obtain scholarships and admission into college. Even just one point on a student’s score can determine if they will be accepted into their dream college. However, the results from standardized tests, such as the ACT and SAT, are oftenRead MoreThe Disadvantages of Standardized Testing Essay1487 Words   |  6 Pages Standardized tests are exams that are supposed to measure a child’s academic knowledge but have long been a controversial subject of discussion. Although it is one method to see how a child is performing, is it the best method? Standardized testing can be biased or unfair, inhibit both the teacher’s and the children’s creativity and flexibility, affect funding for schools, cause untested subjects to be eliminated from the curriculum, and cause anxiety for children and teachers. StandardizedRead MoreStandardized Test Argument Essay843 Words   |  4 PagesArgument Essay Standardized tests are defined as the test directed and given in a standard way. From the 1800s, the standardized test has been an important aspect of the education sector and has been a primary factor to evaluate academic proficiency and sole criteria for admissions as well as scholarships. There are millions of international students like me who are forced to give TOEFL and SAT to fulfill the criteria for admissions as well as scholarships in America. But as soon as I finished theRead MorePersuasive Essay On Standardized Testing921 Words   |  4 PagesStandardized Tests Take out a number two pencil, fill in the bubbles, and pray for a good score. The outcome of standardized tests are life changing, especially in America, so it is imperative to do well on them no matter what. Students, teachers, and schools are all affected by these unfair tests. Not only do studies show the tests do not measure a student’s achievement, they are often biased against certain races and low income students, Americans are so accustomed to these tests that most peopleRead MoreStandardized Testing And Its Effect On Minority Students1445 Words   |  6 Pages A standardized test refers to any examination that is administered and scored in a predetermined, standard manner. There are two major types of standardized test: aptitude test and achievement test (Popham 1999). The test that is most familiar to parents, educators and students is the standardized achievement test. Every year schools administer achievement test to students, the scores of these test are then u sed by the public and school board members to evaluate a schools effectiveness. AlthoughRead MoreEssay on Standardized Tests Are Ineffective1578 Words   |  7 PagesStandardized tests are unnecessary because they are excruciating to the minds of many innocent students. Each year, the tests get tougher and stricter until the students cannot process their own thoughts. The tests become torturous to the minds of those only starting in the world of tests. The students already battling in the war are continuing to fall deeper and deeper into the world of uncreativity and narrowness. As the walls narrow in on them, they are lost and unable to become innovative thinkersRead MoreIs Standardized Testing A Reliable Measure For College? Essay1392 Words   |  6 PagesTori Novak Danielle Ryle ENGL015-071 5 April 2016 Is Standardized Testing A Reliable Measure For College? Standardized testing has been around since the early 1900’s. Today, it determines a high school student’s future. Every year juniors in high school start to prepare months in advance for the SAT’s and ACT’s. Along with the test itself, comes stress that is not necessary. The debate of standardized tests defining a student’s academic ability or not has become a recent popular controversialRead MoreStandardized Test Scores An Accurate Representation Of A Student s Abilities1735 Words   |  7 PagesAre standardized test scores an accurate representation of a student s abilities? Standardized tests can be found at any level of a student’s academic career, but are they accurate indicators of a student’s academic abilities? Standardized tests are used to measure a student s academic abilities, and overall knowledge. In theory, a student s skills can be determined by examining the limited data collected from the test. However, standardized test do not fully represent a student s abilitiesRead MoreStandardized Testing Should Be Viewed By Teachers, Students, And Parents993 Words   |  4 PagesStandardized tests can be viewed by teachers, students, and parents, as helpful for the school system but in actuality they are unnecessary and detrimental to one’s academic future. Standardized testing has been used in the American school system since the mid 1800’s. This became a nationally used standard in 2002 when the United States declared the No Child Left Behind Act, which stated that all 50 states have to take standardized tests (ProCo n 1). The tests have multiple-choice questions that canRead MoreThe Cons of Standardized Testing1005 Words   |  5 Pagesthem, standardized tests administered in schools today include all testable subjects as in English, Math, Science, Writing, and Reading. However, before we can all take the next step and begin our college careers, we have to take one of two tests, the ACT or the SAT. These two exams demine the college you get into, the amount of scholarships you will receive, and even whether or not your will be accepted into said college, all determined by the score you receive. Schools use these standardized tests