The Downside of Standardized Testing

Children in the United States are tested “to an extent that is unprecedented in our history and unparalleled anywhere else in the world.” The federal No Child Left behind Act has triggered a standardized testing “explosion,” the repercussions of which have been felt throughout the nation. Standardized tests are those where “all students answer the same questions under similar conditions and their responses are scored in the same way, and may include multiple-choice or open-ended (constructed) responses.” These tests become “high-stakes” when the test results are used to determine significant decisions about student education, such as passing a grade level or graduating. Standardized test results in the U.S. are also being used to measure the performances of teachers, schools, and school districts