Standardized Testing is something every student is subject to from ages 8-18. Starting in third grade, students have to take the MAP test in the state of Missouri. This test measures students on their abilities in reading and math. I know from personal experience in my elementary school that we started preparing for this test at the beginning of the school year. We got packets at the beginning of every week that we needed to complete that were MAP test prep. The emphasis put on these tests only heightened my already bad anxiety as a kid. 

I was always the last person to finish the tests and my heart was always in my stomach. I wanted to succeed on these tests because I knew the truth: the scores reflected upon the teachers. Teachers are often assessed on how well their students perform on tests. However, teachers do not know exactly what will be on the tests, so they are blindly preparing students to succeed. I remember we would spend hours of class time in order to prepare and had assignments outside of class as well.

In my opinion, after taking standardized tests for nine years as a current junior in high school, they have no benefit for students or for students’ education. In reality, testing is linked to the amount of funding a district gets from the government. That is why districts put pressure on principals, who then put pressure on teachers and then teachers put pressure on students. It is a system of pressure put on another group in order for test scores to grow. But at what cost? Students are spending time strengthening their test taking skills instead of learning a new curriculum. A teacher is stressing about test prep instead of planning for upcoming lessons. 

These tests eat up time away from the curriculum. Teachers are forced to “teach to the test” as said in Shelton and Brooks article titled, “We need to get these scores up.” The two English teachers share their experience on standardized testing limiting their ability to teach full novels due to standardized testing focusing on short novels and repetitive skills. I know my least favorite thing to do in English is practice reading a short passage and answering questions because we are never assessed on the skill in English class, but we are always assessed on it for a standardized test.

I recognize that these tests do function as an accountability system to ensure teachers are properly educating their students on topics. However, I do not agree with the way tests are performed. The tests should pertain to the curriculum taught and not disrupt instruction time. Furthermore, the tests should not put so much pressure on educators and administrators. Stress is then put on students from educators and administrators to succeed on tests. It is also not feasible to put students through back to back long days of testing. By the end of testing, students are burnt out and exhausted. Additionally, in middle and high school, students are expected to take a test then return to regular class and complete assignments. There needs to be a change in the system in order for teachers to not be constantly focused on improving test scores. Standardized tests need to be curriculum focused and not base how hard students work over the course of a year on one test grade.