Disadvantages Of Standardized Testing In The United States

Over two hundred parents claim to not let a student go through standardized testing. The earliest records of standardized testing come from China, for the subjects of philosophy and poetry. America “copied” the European education system. In the early 20th century, immigrants took “standardized tests”. To determine possible career and where each person stood socially. Testing is around 115 years old; it started being taken seriously in academics in the early 1900s for the United States. Although it seems minor, standardized testing should not be a thing in any type of school because it causes physical and mental stress for students and teachers, causes a major financial strain in many schools, and takes time to complete and prepare for. Standardized

The poorer schools have to cut the electives that the students enjoy just for a test that claims a minor's intelligence level. Meanwhile the richer schools have electives, amazing sports teams, and even pay more money for more help on majors to prepare for the test. It is unfair that not every school gets the same preparation; some city schools do not get as much time which puts that school at a major disadvantage compared to the others. Almost every school spends money to pay for something unnecessary, when the money could go to much more important projects throughout the school. “Standardized-testing regimens cost that states some $1.7 billion a year overall, or a quarter of 1 percent of the total K-12 spending in the United States, according to a new report on assessment finances” (Ujifusa). The money used for the tests could go towards sports, clubs, the quality of the education that the students are receiving, and even the school itself. Some schools in states other than Ohio got the memo and decided opt every student in the school out of standardized testing, which brought many benefits to the school and its students. The Curriculum Review states that “Standardized-testing will go by the wayside in Idaho public schools this fall, at a savings of $500,000.” Schools in Idaho saved money by the students not taking standardized tests, and that the money helped the school's academic clubs, electives, sports teams,

Educators spend months preparing minors for standardized tests, in hopes that every student passes for the good reflection the teachers get to enjoy once the scores are released. “Time given to standardized tests includes practice tests, field tests, prep days, Saturday school, and workbooks for homework” (Kamenetz). Schools spend over 40 hours preparing students for standardized tests each year starting in third grade. Some schools even have workbooks, where students do homework out of the book that covers most of what will appear on the tests. Starting around first grade, young children start to prepare for standardized tests that are two years away. Time and preparation is “needed” for the younger grades. “Even though first-grade students would not be made to take any standardized tests until the third grade, they would spend the next two years practicing and preparing for the test” (Malott, Marie, and Curry). Not all of the time will be used to “teach to the test.” Students will gradually work towards the test, but teaching the young kids all the information needed will take time, slower students may need more time than others. Time is nearly everything when it comes to standardized testing. “Chiquikta Fountain changed her mind about testing when her middle school son could not write his name in cursive.