Pros and Cons of Standardized Testing Writing Assignment

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Pros and cons of standardized testing
A standardized test is an examination undertaken by students, its questions, format, instructions and scoring are consistently for all, thereby making it easy for comparison of performance and identification of levels of achievements of the said test takers (The Glossary of Education Reform). The process of standardized testing became part of the American education system in the 1800s. However, its high utilization began in 2002 after the No Child Left Behind Act was passed, which mandated conducting of annual tests in the fifty states. Heightened debates always surround this topic with both proponents and opponents of the practice justifying their stand. The essay will evaluate the pros and cons of standardized testing.
Proponents of standardized testing observe that it provides a reliable and objective method for gauging students’ achievement. When students undertake a similar type of test yearly, both teachers and parents can track their performance to see whether they are improving, failing or stagnating at the same place (Brassard & Ann 291). Without this form of testing, determining the academic progress of a student would rely on distinct tests offered by different schools, that might not be reliable as teachers, and schools have a stake in providing positive results.
Standardized testing imposes accountability on schools and teachers. According to Columbia University, “the education system mandates schools and teachers to instill knowledge contained in the curriculum to students at different levels” (Columbia University 1). However, some schools provide the bare minimum which disadvantage students’ future. Nevertheless, the test pushes teachers and schools to ensure they uphold their responsibility of teaching students the entire curriculum as most of the standardized tests come from it. Moreover, the practice of making the performance public information puts more pressure on the te...