Too much testing

A test, by definition, is an instrument of evaluation measuring the test taker’s ability, knowledge, and performance based on what they have learned. A test, by today’s education system, is something students and teachers constantly gripe about. Some people argue that standardized tests are very informative and give good insight for a person's future. Here’s proof to prove them wrong for multiple reasons: one, teachers feel as if they can't teach; two, they are very expensive and unreliable; and three, there are just too many to take.

Teachers feel the need to ‘teach the test,’ which means only teaching the content that is going to be on the test rather than teach good life skills like work habits/ethics, communication skills, and how to be productive. While conducting an investigation for the DRDC, Linda Valli found that, “The curricular forces of classes and schools played a role in encouraging more cognitively demanding exchanges between students and teachers.” That is, “curricular forces” beyond what a test can measure are what really makes students smart.

Standardized testing is also very expensive and extremely unreliable. An article written by the School of Education states that “the entire testing system costs an estimated $1.7 billion.” This is money that could be better spent on cafeteria food, athletics, and teacher pay.

There are also way too many tests to be taken. An article called “Testing Overload” by Caroline Waldman states “That the average student takes approximately 112 mandatory standardized tests from kindergarten to high school graduation.”

While tests, in theory, give everyone an equal chance to show their abilities in comparison to each other, they focus the curriculum on basic need-to-know skills, and they prepare students for college, just because the tests are the same, doesn't mean that everyone gets the same opportunity. The curriculum is also too focused on those basic skills and they don't prepare students for the workload of college.

The students at Airport tend to agree that tests are annoying.

Madison R, a freshman at Airport High School said, “There's no point in taking a test on it if we already take tests on it during the year.”

Lily V, a student at Airport High School stated, “It is too hard to get accurate information from one test.”

Bryson V, a freshman at Airport High School said, “They don't actually measure your smartness.”

High schoolers specifically have the most standardized testing. They will have to take the English I EOC, English II EOC, Algebra EOC, Biology EOC, US History EOC, ACT, SAT, and not to mention all those teacher-made tests, too. This is evidence of the over testing of our students.