How can one determine which students are more academically gifted than others? The answer is simple. Through the issuance of standardized tests, institutions can easily sort and compartmentalize individuals based on test questions that serve as a measuring stick of a student’s academic capacity. These institutions are under the perception that using the same exam questions across all student groups allows for a fair, unbiased approach in determining which students have succeeded. This approach, and rapidly developing test standard, fails to acknowledge the individuality of each student, and therefore, does not provide an accurate representation of his or her mental abilities. Moreover, standardized tests place incredible stress on adolescents, who are already dealing with an emotional stage of life. The added stress in doing well on these tests leads students to cheat or even take performance drugs such as Adderall or Ritalin.
Standardized tests do not only affect students but teachers as well. The outcome of students’s scores can affect an instructor’s salary and job security, and there have been many instances in which teachers have cheated as well, in an effort to avoid reprimand or unemployment. Recently, 11 teachers and administrators were convicted in Atlanta for altering test scores in an effort to meet benchmarks set forth by the No Child Left Behind Act. These instructors now face up to 20 years in prison, sparking an ethical debate amongst teachers, students, and parents alike. In this instance, the teachers and administrators acted not only out of self-interest but out of genuine concern and caring for the students they were responsible for. Students who, according to standardized tests, are not particularly smart and will likely not be suited for a higher degree of education.
Not only do standardized tests disregard cultural diversity as well as creativity, but also cater to students whose families are at a socioeconomic advantage. Test-making companies are part of a multi-billion dollar industry, and also manufacture courses, textbooks, and programs that help prepare one for the test. These materials are often very costly and are a luxury that many economically disadvantaged families simply cannot afford.
More and more emphasis is being placed on standardized tests, leading instructors to “teach to the test” rather than requiring students to grasp a firm understanding of the concepts that he or she will most likely need to know in a real-life work environment. Tests like the ACT and SAT further underscore the overvaluation of standardized test scores, as they are the first thing that universities see when viewing an application. If the test score isn’t high enough, more than likely the admissions council will toss it into a pile and never give it a second look. This mentality spurs competition among students, who are essentially competing with one another for a higher degree of education. I took the ACT five times, knowing that my first four scores weren’t high enough to qualify me for the scholarships I wanted. I can therefore attest to the amount of stress placed on students during an already difficult time in their lives.
America needs to take a stance against this type of testing, which was developed by the minds of Lewis Terman, a well-known racist, and Edward Thorndike, a scientist who had a particular passion for studying rats and mazes.
We must begin to value creativity and the uniqueness of each student rather than measuring each student against the same tests, for, according to Albert Einstein, “If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid.”
