Anika Deodhar

Critical Thinking Paper

Standardized Testing

Green Section

March 13, 2018

Across the state of Maryland, for nearly one full month, one can walk into any

elementary, middle, or high school, and find hundreds of students sitting silently in a classroom

they’ve never seen before, taking tests on computers. They could be in their normal classes

learning their correct level curriculum, but they have instead been led to believe that they are

defined by their scores, and they are working intently to make sure that these scores turn out

well. These types of exams have been around in the U.S.A. for decades, ever since the country

started using them to prove their superiority against China and other competing countries

(Standardized Testing). However, the tests actually have more drawbacks to them than benefits.

Because standardized testing discourages analytical thinking, does not accurately measure

students’ academic potential, and has detrimental effects of test review to students in-class, the

Maryland school board must stop requiring grade school students to take standardized tests like

the PARCC and the MISA.

The implementation of standardized tests in public schools discourages analytical

thinking. These tests are typically multiple choice and their questions therefore only have one

correct answer, which trains kids from a young age to choose the “quick, easy, obvious answer.”

(Harris). These exams also only provide a short time frame for students to answer a large number

of questions, forcing students to think as fast as they can rather than think deeply about a

question and how it could be answered in multiple different ways. These tests “create a limited

scope of learning and success,” and only target specific topics with three to five answer choices

each, meaning if the student does not know an answer, rather than being forced to give the

question thought, they can just guess and hope for the best (Pros & Cons…). Elementary school

students have been studied in their classrooms during their normal school routine and shown to
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be “actively engaged if they go back over things they don’t understand, ask questions of

themselves as they read, and try to connect what they were doing to what they had already

learned” during their typical classwork. But they were classified as “'superficially engaged if

they just copied down answers, guessed a lot, and skipped the hard parts” (Harris). However, it

was found that the students who copied, guessed, and skipped questions got higher scores on

standardized tests. Students should be encouraged to evaluate their options or the circumstance,

and find a solution they feel fits best to the problem they are given. However, they are being

rewarded with high test scores when they do the opposite. These tests being implemented in

public school systems are damaging to the mindset of grade school students because they

encourage students to think superficially and copy, guess, and skip difficult problems.

Standardized testing also does not accurately measure a student’s academic potential.

These types of tests take a small portion of topics a student has learned and ask questions based

on a few select subjects, when in reality, students learn much more than this. The PARCC only

provides questions based on English and Math and the MISA is a test about science, but students

in all grade levels take many more classes than just these three, such as history and social studies

classes, foreign language classes, and elective classes such as arts, technology, physical

education, health, and many more, which are areas that are not being tested at all. Additionally,

things like participation, creativity, endurance, leadership, development patterns, and

resourcefulness are not being measured by these test scores, leaving out several crucial parts of

every child’s scholastic achievements (Harris). This does not allow for students to try to learn in

different ways, like kinesthetically or socially, ways that align with Howard Gardner’s multiple

intelligence theory (Why Standardized Tests…). This theory states that there are many ways to
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learn and many ways to demonstrate what one has learned, and all students being forced to learn

and demonstrate in the same way leads to inaccurate measurements of academic success (Harris).

According to Shawn O’Connor, founder of Stratus Prep, an organization which prepares students

for standardized tests, one’s scores on these tests are predetermined “by where you grew up and

what type of elementary and middle school you were able to attend” (Why Standardized

Tests…). One’s educational background plays into their scores on these tests greatly, because if

they were placed in an elementary school with insufficient resources to provide a good

education, they would score lower than someone who attended test prep classes or bought

booklets outside of their typical school classes (Why Standardized Tests…). This renders these

tests insufficient for accurately measuring a student’s academic potential because they give

students from wealthier backgrounds an advantage, and do not truly target whether or not the

student is capable of learning such information when given the opportunity to. In addition, in the

United States, these tests are usually only made in English, therefore not adequately testing

overall intelligence for students whose primary language could be something different (Webb).

All in all, a student’s scholastic achievement and progress cannot truly be measured using a

standardized test, because they focus on a small range of topics, do not measure one’s

personality and how it affects their academic life, and give wealthier students an unfair

advantage over those who may not be able to afford the same opportunities.

Not only are standardized tests themselves harmful, but the preparation for them is as

well. Test preparation has been proven to be detrimental to students in class. When elementary

school students were observed in their classes, it was found that when their teachers started test

preparation, “explicit test-prep strategies were linked to declines in instructional quality,” and
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that “more sophisticated testing regimes also taught weaker lessons” (Sawchuk). This study

demonstrated that once test preparation was brought into the classroom, it worsened the overall

quality of education for the students. Test preparation takes away class time from topics that

could be considered more important, and typically distracts from the subjects that these tests are

intended to measure, like math (Sawchuk). Additionally, these tests create more competition

amongst peers, school districts, states, and even countries, which takes away focus from the

ultimate goal of schooling and education, which should always be student success (Pros &

Cons). Test preparation can include practice tests, review of material learned long in the past,

and reteaching of testing strategies such as process of elimination, which can take hours to cover,

and a repetition of these several hours each day to create consistency and enforce the ideas in

students’ minds. The time being used to prepare students for these tests in school is time not

being used to teach them new and more complex subjects, because they are continuing to go over

things they have already completed. Nevertheless, many teachers will continue to spend these

hours on test prep for a variety of reasons, whether to help the students succeed or so that the test

scores reflect better on themselves, which is overall detrimental to students’ class instruction and

therefore their scholastic success.

Many argue that standardized tests are not intended to cover a wide variety of topics in a

wide variety of ways, and that they “measure basic intelligence” and “are fair, objective, and

efficient” (Walberg). However, these tests force students’ intelligence to remain at a basic level

by using limited types of questions and not testing students in a way that challenges them, and

consequently they are only using memorization and their test taking strategies. Standardized

testing also forces every student to take the same exact test, which could be seen as fair, but
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some students have advantages or disadvantages from their past that they cannot control,

meaning that it is actually setting some students up for failure and others for success.

Standardized testing is a disservice to students across the state due to its effects on their

learning. Some students are even put at a disadvantage to take these tests because of factors they

cannot control. Standardized testing promotes superficial thinking, is unable to accurately

measure students’ academic potential, and its test review has detrimental effects to students

in-class, therefore the Maryland school board must stop requiring grade school students to take

standardized tests like the PARCC and the MISA, because children's learning should always

come first.
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Works Cited

Harris, Phillip, et al. “Standardized Tests Do Not Effectively Measure Student Achievement.”

Standardized Testing​, edited by Dedria Bryfonski, Greenhaven Press, 2012. At Issue.

Opposing Viewpoints in Context​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010478218/OVIC?u=mcps_blair&xid=c181aec9.

Accessed 11 Feb. 2018. Originally published as “Chapter 3: The Tests Don’t Measure

Achievement Adequately,” ​The Myths of Standardized Tests: Why They Don’t Tell You

What You Think They Do​, 2011, pp. 33-45.

“Introduction to Standardized Testing: At Issue.” ​Standardized Testing​, edited by Dedria

Bryfonski, Greenhaven Press, 2012. At Issue. ​Opposing Viewpoints in Context​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010478116/OVIC?u=mcps_blair&xid=04ed69e8.

Accessed 11 Feb. 2018.

“Pros & Cons of Standardized Tests.” ​Oxford Learning​. 29 Oct. 2014, www.oxfordlearning.com/

pros-cons-of-standardized-tests/. Accessed 13 Mar. 2018.

Sawchuk, Stephen. “Testing; ‘Does Test Preparation Mean Low-Quality Instruction?.’”

Education Week​, 25 Oct. 2017, p. 4. ​Opposing Viewpoints in Context​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A513405915/OVIC?u=mcps_blair&xid=c9e940c8.

Accessed 11 Feb. 2018.

“Standardized Testing.” ​Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection​, Gale, 2015. ​Opposing

Viewpoints in Context​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/PC3010999023/OVIC?u=mcps_blair&xid=760dd6e6.

Accessed 18 Mar. 2018.

Walberg, Herbert J. “Standardized Tests Effectively Measure Student Achievement.”

Standardized Testing​, edited by Dedria Bryfonski, Greenhaven Press, 2012. At Issue.

Opposing Viewpoints in Context​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010478217/OVIC?u=mcps_blair&xid=005822ef.

Accessed 11 Feb. 2018. Originally published as “Stop the War Against Standardized

Tests,” ​Defining Ideas: A Hoover Institution Journal​, 20 May 2011.

Webb, Bruce. "Standardized Tests." ​Encyclopedia of Race and Racism​, edited by Patrick L.

Mason, 2nd ed., vol. 4, Macmillan Reference USA, 2013, pp. 128-130. ​Global Issues In

Context​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX4190600425/GIC?u=mcps_blair&sid=GIC&xid=2

a291155. Accessed 6 May 2018.

“Why Standardized Tests Fail Us (And How You Can Beat Them).” ​Big Think​,

bigthink.com/think-tank/why-standardized-tests-fail-us-and-how-you-can-beat-them.

Accessed 13 Mar. 2018.

Annotated Bibliography

Aldeman, Chad. “In Defense of Annual School Testing.” ​New York Times​, 7 Feb. 2015, p.

A19(L). ​Opposing Viewpoints in Context​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A400514032/OVIC?u=mcps_blair&xid=98a1156a.

Accessed 18 Mar. 2018. This source argued in favor of regular standardized testing. It

gave me the foundation for my counterargument and helped me understand the reasoning

that people have for standardized testing, as well as helped me create my defenses in

favor of the side that I was arguing.

Alters, Sandra M. “Testing and Achievement.” ​Education​: ​Meeting America’s Needs?​, 2012 ed.,

Gale, 2012. Information Plus Reference Series. ​Opposing Viewpoints in Context​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ4189300104/OVIC?u=mcps_blair&xid=62341a0e.

Accessed 18 Mar. 2018. This source gave me statistics about standardized tests and

scores for grade school students. This gave me background knowledge about what trends

in test scores are, as well as the range of grades and how differently they perform on

standardized tests. Although my paper did not focus on test scores, this source gave me a

basic understanding of how students typically perform on tests.

“Course Correction for School Testing.” ​New York Times​, 7 Dec. 2015, p. A22(L). ​Opposing

Viewpoints in Context​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A436681096/OVIC?u=mcps_blair&xid=20a05d3d.

Accessed 18 Mar. 2018. This source described the No Child Left Behind act, and gave an

opinion about why it should have been reinstated. The article gave opinions about federal

funding for education, the idea of overtesting, and the opt-out movement, which all

helped me form a basis and opinion about the amount of testing given, as well as taught

me about federal funding for education and some reasons why students may be falling

behind in testing due to finances.

Harris, Phillip, et al. “Standardized Tests Do Not Effectively Measure Student Achievement.”

Standardized Testing​, edited by Dedria Bryfonski, Greenhaven Press, 2012. At Issue.

Opposing Viewpoints in Context​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010478218/OVIC?u=mcps_blair&xid=c181aec9.

Accessed 11 Feb. 2018. Originally published as “Chapter 3: The Tests Don’t Measure

Achievement Adequately,” ​The Myths of Standardized Tests: Why They Don’t Tell You

What You Think They Do​, 2011, pp. 33-45. Harris argues the point that standardized tests

are ineffective in measuring a student’s education and intelligence, and how to define

student achievement.
 Deodhar 10

“Introduction to Standardized Testing: At Issue.” ​Standardized Testing​, edited by Dedria

Bryfonski, Greenhaven Press, 2012. At Issue. ​Opposing Viewpoints in Context​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010478116/OVIC?u=mcps_blair&xid=04ed69e8.

Accessed 11 Feb. 2018. An overview of the debate about standardized testing and why it

has become an issue in recent years.

“Preface to ‘What Are Ethical Issues Surrounding Testing?.’” ​Teachers and Ethics​, edited by

Noah Berlatsky, Greenhaven Press, 2016. Opposing Viewpoints. ​Opposing Viewpoints in

Context​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010986104/OVIC?u=mcps_blair&xid=6e256605.

Accessed 18 Mar. 2018. This source gave me background knowledge on the way testing

is given, the types of tests students take in different states, and reasoning for the varying

difficulty levels of certain tests. This source was specifically about the GED test,

however it gave me an idea of the reasons people provide such questions at varying

degrees of difficulty in other types of tests.

“Pros & Cons of Standardized Tests.” ​Oxford Learning​. 29 Oct. 2014, www.oxfordlearning.com/

pros-cons-of-standardized-tests/. Accessed 13 Mar. 2018. This source allowed me to look

at the subject in concise points while at the same time viewing a wide variety of

viewpoints. It gave an equal number of both pros and cons and therefore gave a fair and

objective summary of the debate.

Sawchuk, Stephen. “Testing; ‘Does Test Preparation Mean Low-Quality Instruction?.’”

Education Week​, 25 Oct. 2017, p. 4. ​Opposing Viewpoints in Context​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A513405915/OVIC?u=mcps_blair&xid=c9e940c8.
 Deodhar 11

Accessed 11 Feb. 2018. Study analyzing the effects of test preparation on school

education quality which concluded with the idea that an increase in standardized test

preparation leads to a decrease in the quality of in-class education.

“Standardized Testing.” ​Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection​, Gale, 2015. ​Opposing

Viewpoints in Context​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/PC3010999023/OVIC?u=mcps_blair&xid=760dd6e6.

Accessed 18 Mar. 2018. This article gave me a background on the brief history of

standardized testing and why it was first implemented in the United States. It briefly

described the creation of such tests in China, and then how these tests were brought to

America. It also went a bit more in-depth about the usage of standardized tests during the

20th and 21st century. Overall, it taught me more about the topic and the history of

standardized testing as a whole.

Walberg, Herbert J. “Standardized Tests Effectively Measure Student Achievement.”

Standardized Testing​, edited by Dedria Bryfonski, Greenhaven Press, 2012. At Issue.

Opposing Viewpoints in Context​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010478217/OVIC?u=mcps_blair&xid=005822ef.

Accessed 11 Feb. 2018. Originally published as “Stop the War Against Standardized

Tests,” ​Defining Ideas: A Hoover Institution Journal​, 20 May 2011. Walberg argues that

standardized tests are a good way to measure a student’s academic success.

Webb, Bruce. "Standardized Tests." ​Encyclopedia of Race and Racism​, edited by Patrick L.

Mason, 2nd ed., vol. 4, Macmillan Reference USA, 2013, pp. 128-130. ​Global Issues In

Context​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX4190600425/GIC?u=mcps_blair&sid=GIC&xid=2

a291155. Accessed 6 May 2018. This source gave me more information about why

standardized testing may not be as fair and objective as it seems, and the racial biases that

could be present in that theory.

“Why Standardized Tests Fail Us (And How You Can Beat Them).” ​Big Think​,

bigthink.com/think-tank/why-standardized-tests-fail-us-and-how-you-can-beat-them.

Accessed 13 Mar. 2018. This source gave me a very subjective view on the topic, with

several points to support my claim. It allowed me to expand further on the points already

addressed in my thesis and gave me much more evidence and credibility towards my

thesis.

Zimmerman, Jonathan. “What today’s education reformers can learn from Henry David

Thoreau.” ​Washington Post​, 12 July 2017. ​Opposing Viewpoints in Context​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A498313442/OVIC?u=mcps_blair&xid=d4fa3ca2.

Accessed 18 Mar. 2018. This source, although not specifically about standardized testing,

gave me insights on the education system that I had not previously considered, and

helped me to form an opinion on my arguments. It taught me the values of different styles

of learning, mainly textbook work, and I was able to relate that to the way students learn

material for standardized tests, like test preparation.