Truong 1

Jenny Truong

Mr. Kapp

H. English Period 1

19 February 2019

Are Standardized Tests Good?

Across the nation, standardized tests have been used since the 19th century to measure a

student’s academic ability. These standardized tests are conducted in a consistent matter and give

students a certain amount of time to answer a set of questions. The answers are scored using

computerized methods and eliminate all types of bias against the student. Although most public

schools mandate students to take standardized tests, standardized testing only narrows the

teaching curriculum, fuels our current creativity crisis, and provides an inaccurate reflection of a

student’s academic ability.

Standardized tests have been limiting teacher’s curriculum in order to prepare students

for the mandatory testing in most American public schools. In pursuit of achieving high test

scores to maintain the school’s reputation, teachers have to take away time from their teaching

curriculum to allow enough rigorous preparation for the test. This forces schools to place

pressure on students and ultimately taking the fun out of learning (Kolodner 2011). Mandatory

testing forces teachers to follow school policies and conduct an environment unsuitable for

effective learning. Standardized tests have even forced teachers to neglect discussing about

real-world problems, a fundamental skill for students to become more involved in their

community, because the classroom was too focused on intensive test preparation (Schemo 2002).

By the end of the year, many teachers could not cover their teaching curriculum because of
 Truong 2

standardized tests eating away at their time. Standardized tests cause a teacher’s inability to teach

what they are really passionate about and therefore creating a boring learning environment for

students that only prepares them for the test, not as successful citizens.

In addition to restricting the teaching curriculum, America has seen a decline in creativity

since the 1990’s (Zagursky 2011). While standardized tests challenges students to think critically

in math and english, they do not cater to the arts. America is currently suffering a creativity

crisis. People who are creative tend to be more successful by becoming a source for innovation

and new discoveries (Zagursky 2011). Intelligence and creativity are not tied to one another. One

student could be extremely creative, but lack knowledge. Creative students are being neglected

by standardized tests and therefore resulting in a decline of creativity in America (Zagursky

2011). America is in high demand of new innovators to represent the country, but refusing to

acknowledge the arts will only bring a deeper decline in our current creativity crisis. Math and

english are not the only two subjects that resemble success. If we want to foster successful

students, America should stop neglecting the arts with a tense testing environment that favors the

intelligent instead of the creative.

However, there are many people who believe that standardized tests fairly measures a

student’s academic strengths and weaknesses, therefore presenting reliable knowledge on areas

to prepare for college (Phelps 2002). Although they provide fair and reliable results with no bias,

there are many other factors affecting test performance. One test should not define a student’s

academic career when scores can be easily impacted by common outside forces like stress

(Ershova 2017). By stressing students out, mandatory testing is making it easier for students to

do worse. Standardized testing also does not accommodate every subject, making them even
 Truong 3

more inaccurate by comparing students with unique abilities to the standard student who is

expected to excel in math and english (Ershova 2017). Standardized tests are inaccurate because

they only show a part of a student’s academic career; not the whole picture.

Standardized testing may have presented a non-biased method to assess students, but

there are many flaws in the system. Ambition to achieve high test scores have made teachers

teach according to the testing curriculum, which does not cover all subjects. As a result, our

society is facing a creativity crisis and a lack of innovation against competing nations. All of this

leads to inaccurate test scores that do not paint a full image of a student’s academic career,

another factor humiliating our country’s academic success. Both teachers and students should not

be controlled by one test that can determine their success in the education industry.
 Truong 4

Works Cited

Ershova, Sofia. “Standardized Tests Are Inaccurate.” ​St. Petersburg College​, Sandbox Staff,

11 Feb. 2017,

www.sandbox.spcollege.edu/index.php/2017/02/standardized-tests-are-inaccurate.

Kolodner, Meredith, and Meredith Kolodner. “Students, Teachers Sweating High-Stakes

Tests as Parents Rebel against Constant Prep.” ​Nydailynews.com​, New York Daily News,

13 Jan. 2019,

www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/students-teachers-sweating-high-stakes-tests-

parents-rebel-constant-prep-article-1.140304.

Phelps, Richard. “Estimating the Costs and Benefits of Educational Testing Programs.”

Estimating the Costs and Benefits of Educational Testing Programs​, Feb. 2002,

www.education-consumers.com/briefs/phelps2.shtm.

Schemo, Diana Jean. “VIGILANCE AND MEMORY: THE SCHOOLS; For Some Students,

Attacks Lose Their Grip.” ​The New York Times​, The New York Times, 12 Sept. 2002,

www.nytimes.com/2002/09/12/us/vigilance-and-memory-the-schools-for-some-students-at

tacks-lose-their-grip.html.

Zagursky, Erin. “Smart? Yes. Creative? Not So Much.” ​Www.wm.edu,​ 3 Feb. 2011,

www.wm.edu/research/ideation/professions/smart-yes.-creative-not-so-much.5890.php.
Truong 5