Miller 1

Alexis Miller

Joyce Barnes

ENG 1201

21 March 2021

Does Standardized Testing Show Accurate Views of Student's Abilities?

Many people take a standardized test at some point in their lives. Some may do very well while

others, like myself, are not impressed with the outcome. Standardized testing has been around

since 1875 and is still used today. Many believe that they are beneficial for students to take so

colleges and the schools can see their intelligence and what they are capable of doing. Others

say that they are not an accurate measure of intelligence because of factors such as test

anxiety, intellectual disabilities, and even cheating. Question is, do they show a true measure of

intelligence, or do they cause more damage to those who take them?

As standardized testing has gained popularity many questions if the tests are fair for

everyone who takes them. Some students have learning disabilities, such as dyslexia,

processing deficiencies, and even autism. These learning disabilities make it unfair for them to

take a standardized test because they need more time to process the information given to them.

The standardized test “is to be delivered in the same way to all students so that no students are

advantaged or disadvantaged. The last standardization is time allotment. All students are to be

given the same amount of time to finish the exam” (Poulsen and Hewson). With the test given to

everyone, no matter if the person has a learning disability or not, they are all given the same

amount of time which is not fair for those affected by the learning disabilities. However, as time

has evolved so has standardized testing. There has been a change in the way those with

disabilities can take a standardized test. To make the test as fair as possible, “Common

changes to standardized testing allow certain students to have more than the allotted amount of

time. Some students with certain learning needs are now allowed to have more time than other

students to complete the exam. These students are then often allowed to write in different
 Miller 2

rooms as well” (Poulsen and Hewson). This creates a more fair opportunity for those that are

affected by learning disabilities. They have the same opportunity to show their intelligence by

being given the accommodations they need and deserve.

With the pandemic has taken over the state and many being placed in “lockdown”, many

students did not take or retake standardized tests. This has caused it easier to get into colleges

and universities because they are no longer looking at those test scores. It was stated that “

Colleges and universities announced suspensions of testing requirements for 2020-21. Some

said they would not require tests for a few years as an experiment to see how the admissions

process would do without them” (Strauss). This was beneficial because many students do not

perform well on standardized testing for various reasons. The colleges and universities will be

able to consider other measures, such as the student's GPA or their grades on their transcripts.

It eases the students' application for colleges and universities because they know their

standardized testing will not be held accountable. Before the pandemic had taken effect, the

University of California had already not required standardized testing such as the ACT or the

SAT. The board had “already unanimously voted to not require the SAT or ACT on student

application as a lawsuit claims they are “deeply biased and provide no meaningful information

about a student’s ability to succeed.” (MoCo Students). This shows that many colleges and

universities view standardized testing as not a true measure of their student's true knowledge.

With some colleges and universities already getting rid of standardized testing and having

students excel in school, it makes the future of standardized testing nonexistent.

Socioeconomic status also can affect those who take standardized tests and how well

they do. Those in poverty are more likely to not do well due to the fact they do not have access

to resources that can help them practice for the exams. Race can also play a factor because

“Black and brown students often come from lower-income families compared to their white

counterparts, preventing them from being able to afford private tutors and SAT and ACT

classes.” (MoCo Students). Those of different minorities and socio-economic levels can have a
 Miller 3

harder time on standardized testing. They may not have the opportunities of those in higher

classes or those of different minorities because they just do not have the same opportunities.

Gender also plays a role in just how well a student does in certain sections on tests such as the

ACT or SAT. It has been proven that boys do better on the math portion of standardized tests

than girls. Researchers “posit that years of differential gender treatment in math learning may

account for gradually enlarging performance differences from elementary to high school years”

(Liu). With certain genders receiving different levels of education in certain subjects obviously,

there is going to be a drastic difference in just how well they do on the test. Many factors can

play a role in just how well a student does on a test and many do not consider those.

Standardized testing also puts stress on the educators who have to help try and prepare

students for the tests they are given. Many teachers give practice tests from years past in hopes

they help prepare students for the actual test. The pressure from standardized tests can take a

toll on teachers and their want to teach. There has been “evidence that indicates that a large

number of teachers either themselves contemplated leaving the profession or knew others who

had done so because of standardized testing pressure” (Youn). These tests not only affect the

students but also the educators. This puts a strain on the educators just as much as it does the

students because the educators have to prepare the students. Many researchers believe “these

exams are so imperative in the world of education, it hinders the learning experience as people

start “teaching the test” instead of fostering a challenging and critical learning environment.

Standardized testing has only created a bunch of anxious students and teachers scrambling to

master a test that they most likely will not find a use for in the “real world” (MoCo Students).

Teachers are learning to force material into students' brains rather than try and teach them tips

and tricks that they can use on the test. When testing, many students are asked questions they

will never use in real life. The stress put on a teacher can hinder their ability to teach and impact

children's lives and it's all for a test score.

 Miller 4

Standardized tests have many positive and negative effects. As time goes on many are

questioning the true reason for standardized tests. With students taking a lot of standardized

tests in a lifetime, students and teachers are forced to cram information in students' brains in the

hope they can retain it on a test. These tests are made to show the intelligence of humans yet

they are times and cause much stress to those who take them. As research has evolved on

these tests, many find more reasons to abolish standardized tests. With the new research

coming out, the test makers are finding ways to better the test and make it fairer for those

students who need more time or those who may need it read aloud. All in all, standardized

testing is evolving as we speak and many have different opinions on the test but do they show

the true intelligence of students, or are they just scores that define students?
 Miller 5

Works Cited

Hewson, Kurtis & Dr. John Poulsen. “Standardized Testing: Fair or Not?” University of

Lethinburg, https://www.uleth.ca/teachingcentre/standardized-testing-fair-or-not.

Accessed 21 March 2021.

OuLydia, Lui. “ An Investigation of Factors Affecting Gender Differences in Standardized Math

Performance: Results from U.S. and Hong Kong 15 Year Olds.” International Journal of

Testing. 2009, Vol. 9 Issue 3,

https://eds-a-ebscohost-com.sinclair.ohionet.org/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=5&sid=48aa7dcd-

d0aa-4c14-9651-00ef09ec2287%40sessionmgr101. Accessed 21 March 2021.

Strauss, Valerie. “It Looks Like The Beginning of The End of America’s Obsession With Student

Standardized Tests.” The Washington Post, The Washington Post, 21 June 2020,

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2020/06/21/it-looks-like-beginning-end-ameri

as-obsession-with-student-standardized-tests/. Accessed 21 March 2021.

The MoCo Students. “Opinion: Standardized Testing Should Be Abolished.” The Moco Students

News For Montgomery County Youth, 10 October 2020,

https://mocostudent.org/2020/10/opinion-standardized-testing-should-be-abolished/. Accessed 21

March 2021.

Youn, Minjong. “The influence of standardized testing pressure on teachers' working

environment.” KEDI Journal of Educational Policy. 2018, Vol. 15 Issue 2,

https://eds-b-ebscohost-com.sinclair.ohionet.org/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=4&sid=db25675e-

f50f-4333-a469-07062b556df1%40sessionmgr4007. Accessed 21 March 2021.