In Defense of Standardized Testing

Why is standardized testing bad? Some say it makes students unwilling to learn. Others say it judges everyone  with the same, potentially flawed, standards. That it makes arbitrary judgement calls about what's important and what isn’t.

But one response undermines all these arguments: standardized tests are a taste of the real world. The real world enforces pressure and sometimes unreasonable standards that we all must adhere to. The real world doesn’t have the time or energy to treat us all like each of us are our own, special person.

Is it really possible to care for each and every one of the 2.2 billion children on this planet? Is it really possible for a school to write a personalized plan for each child? Is it really possible for the world to take each individual, analyze what they can do, and give them their own special spot?

Unfortunately, the answer is no. 

So how can we make the best use of the harsh taste of reality offered by standardized testing? It is indeed possible for us to find a sweet spot, where we help each child reach their full potential by using these tests as a tool? We need to recognize that standardized testing is necessary, and that we therefore need to change our outlook on this inescapable reality.

Dr. Laurie Barron of Smokey Road Middle School is a good example. When she first joined her community, Smokey Road was the lowest-achieving school in Georgia and also had the highest number of discipline referrals. To change this, Dr. Barron came up with a four-step plan:

1. Make sure students come to school. 

2. Make sure students feel safe.

3. Demonstrate to students that the school values them and what they love.

4. Build a curriculum that will help students succeed.

It is important to note here that no step involves boosting student grades or  argues that academics define achievement; rather, every step focuses on cultivating a safe and comfortable learning environment. As Dr. Barron put it, "our approach was that if football was the most important to you, then we were going to do whatever it takes to keep you in football." Smokey Road focused on making students feel valued, and in doing so, their students' test performances  began to improve, amid other accomplishments. Dr. Barron reached her goal of helping her students learn better and attained higher test results along the way. This is a prime example of how test scores should only be a tool to measure how far you’ve gotten, not the end goal.

On top of that, if preparation for standardized testing does not constitute a majority of the curriculum, it can also bring a lot of benefits. One such benefit is pressure management. Although feeling pressured is a natural part of studying, that pressure is typically amplified over time. Tests are a different situation, where learning to calm yourself down in a high-stress situation is crucial to performing well­—a great replica of many real-world situations where learning to take a deep breath and slow one’s heart rate can be useful.  

The current standardized test system fails mostly in this respect because of just how overly hyped standardized tests are. If you don’t get a good grade, it is implied that you will be a huge disappointment, and your future could be ruined. That amount of pressure can cause heart-breaking tragedies. This is why I say that the key here is to understand tests as only a tool. It’s normal to get nervous because you still want to perform to the best of your ability, but it’s important to acknowledge that although tests are important, they will not be a determining factor in your life.

Another benefit of testing is that you learn skills that are only acquired with a lot of practice. For many standardized tests nowadays, you need not just the answers, but also the skills. Take AP U.S. History exams, for example. For almost all the questions, although you do need knowledge about U.S. History, the more important thing is to analyze the text and think like a historian. Just to be clear, tests are obviously not the only way to teach students this skill, but tests can be helpful in mastering it. Using a skill over and over again is the road to mastering it, and practicing for standardized tests can put you on that path.

So, at the end of the day, the current standardized testing regime—which is churning out over 700,000 illiterate, depressed high school graduates a year—isn’t doing so because standardized tests themselves are inherently harmful. It’s because we’ve become so accustomed to treating tests as a measurement of all our achievements. 

The term "tests," or even "standardized tests," shouldn’t draw out as much disdain as it does now. If we understand how to use them correctly—as a way to measure progress—then they can become another powerful tool that we wield in the journey of learning.