Issue

From as early as elementary school (or even kindergarten in some cases), students take standardized tests. These standardized tests seek to measure proficiency in certain subjects, but if a student performs poorly on them early in their academic career, they can be barred from taking advanced classes later on. Standardized tests also lead to unhealthy perfectionist mindsets, which can lead to anxiety or other mental illnesses.

Primary and secondary education in the U.S. caters toward standardized test preparation. In my public school experience, I took the PSSAs, Keystones, PSATs, SATs, SAT Subject Tests, and AP Exams. Was this really learning? Did it help me understand concepts rather than memorizing? Is this system of education worth the stress? What about socioeconomic biases?

Through my issue brief, I want to explore better educational alternatives to standardized tests that still measure student proficiency and subject mastery. My recommendations would be implemented at the local (private school and school board) or state (public school) level.

Exigence and Rhetorical Situation

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that students need to be able to adapt to their circumstances and environment, yet standardized tests are a rigid measurement tool best used under ideal circumstances. Is that fair to students who do not have bandwidth or students with family/job responsibilities?

In addition, some standardized tests (including AP Exams) allowed the use of notes. What does an open-note timed standardized exam assess? Is it being resourceful? How much you memorized? If students grasped concepts?

Even before COVID, top colleges removed their SAT Subject Test requirements, and the UC Board of Regents voted to phase out their SAT/ACT requirement by 2025. Standardized tests (for graduation purposes and college admissions) seem to be falling out of favor, so what are the alternatives?

Cause

Issues with standardized test-based education originate from a mechanical cause. The system of standardized tests are supposed to be unbiased measures of subject mastery and proficiency yet they disproportionately affect students with lower socioeconomic indexes since they tend to score lower.

Specifically, primary and secondary school standardized-test based education in modern times seems to originate from the No Child Left Behind Act passed by former President George W. Bush in 2002. It requires states to test schools in reading and math in grades 3-8 and also in high school. Schools received federal funding by meeting these standards and teacher’s salary was tied to their student’s scores. This law had the opposite effects as intended since it strips funding for low-performing schools and forces educators to teach content for standardized tests rather than how to apply subjects and develop critical-thinking skills.

Also, each state developed their own standard tests and standards, so the NCLBA created a disorganized mess of standardized testing across the country. Rather than another intended goal of creating uniform federal standards, the act created unequal standards across states that may even lead to inability to graduate in certain cases.

Policy Intervention

Systemic change seems to be the best path for abolishing a standardized test-focused education system in the United States and establishing a replacement. This would have to be done by giving more control to states, local school boards, and private schools in establishing a fundamental overhaul and replacement educational model. I need to do more research on the alternatives, but some ideas for alternatives would be co-ops/business partnerships  in high school, more dual enrollment opportunities in the summer and during the school year, programs across all grade levels devoted to assisting underprivileged students and underperforming students, and a larger emphasis on projects, essays, and other non-test assessment alternatives. Also, decentralization of federal control of education would be explored further.