Standardized Testing Argument Essay

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I remember my fingers anxiously tapping my desk while I looked around a room of thirty students of whom I was subconsciously “competing” with. I remember contemplating what the implications might reveal based upon my projected performance. For many students, standardized tests could be the difference between a “dream” school and a “safe” school, scholarships and student loans, and a feeling of superiority or discouragement. Many people I knew had exceptional standardized test scores, but below average GPA’s and vice versa which made me question why these tests are viewed as accurate portrayals of our secondary success. Standardized testing has been a staple in American education since the 1800’s, but its strict enforcement surfaced when former president, George W. Bush passed the “No Child Left Behind Act” on January 8, 2002.…show more content…
Bronwyn T. Williams, a professor at the University of Louisville, admitted that this law only focuses on “broad comparisons of students, with little regard to their differences, and severe punishments for schools and teachers who fail to meet the ‘standards’” (Wiliam 152) These requirements were placed into effect in order to evaluate America’s educational progress and ensure every student’s success, but yet in 2015 the United States is ranked 28th in education globally according to BBC News (Coughlan). Although these assessments provide teachers with a sense of responsibility and an evaluation of student progress, it does not accurately represent each student as factors such as culture, economic status, and learning styles come into play. This begs the question of whether or not standardized tests are an effective way to evaluate student success in

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