Show schools use Standardized tests to determine a childs ability to succeed in school.
...lly pass their courses should not be retained in grade or barred from graduation based solely on their standardized test scores, which may have no relationship to what they are taught. There are several factors to consider when using these scores to make educational decisions. These tests do not measure what they are said to measure. For example, a standardized reading test may really only test a child’s ability to spell or recognize words, rather than actually read. The multiple choice format of these tests allow only one “right” answer, but poorly written, unclear test items may have more than one “right” answer or no correct answer. Most importantly, this type of simplistic test undermines higher-order thinking skills we expect children to develop. Also, factors, such as, whether a child is well- nourished, had a good night’s rest, or trusts the person who administers the test can strongly influence test performance. These are just a few factors to take into consideration when using standardized test scores for major educational decisions. These tests were never intended to measure the quality of learning or teaching. The main objective of standardized tests is to rank, not rate: to spread out the scores, rather than to gauge the quality of a student or school. (Kohn , 2000, p. 13) The test scores have become the number one indicator of school improvement. This has caused many teachers to “teach to the test”. Schools are even changing their curriculum to match the test. This reliance on standardized test scores has forced educators to abandon efforts to develop student’s critical thinking skills. Instead of promoting educatio...