Throughout the course of high school, students are required to take many standardized tests including the quarterly district assessments for English, math and science. These tests are influential because they make up a large percentage of a student’s grade. Unfortunately, standardized tests like these only measure student learning in a single aspect and therefore do not accurately reflect overall performance. Tests that could make up a huge percentage of a class grade, seem to be centered around how well a student can memorize a topic, rather than how they perform in class. This leads to consistent results that do not accurately measure comprehension.
Instead of all students being handed the same test and grade based on their performance, students should receive a grade in a class based on their effort, participation and understanding. These qualities cannot always be easily seen by looking at test scores, however, these traits are some of the most important for a thriving society.
According to PubMed Central, another factor that needs to be considered is that roughly one third of students suffer from test anxiety, a factor that can brutally affect their performance during examinations. Standardized tests can degrade the confidence of students who had previously found academic success. This anxiety can result in overall lowered self-esteem and academic performance. Many students who understand the material during class and at home simply crumble under the pressure of testing. Without standardized assessments, that pressure would be removed, as a student’s grade wouldn’t be completely hinged on their testing capabilities.
According to Lake Forest University, the opposite of subject-centered design is learner-centered design. This approach recognizes that students are not all the same and takes each individual’s needs, interests and goals into consideration throughout the design process. The goal of learner-centered design is to empower learners to shape their own education.
Curriculums focused on ensuring that students understand the topic at their own pace could be a great alternative to placing students in less advanced classes. Students are constantly reminded that trying their best is the most important thing to do in school. However, a student trying their hardest, but not succeeding on the same level as their peers, will subsequently be moved down to courses that are less advanced.
The only problem with this system is that while this student is putting in significant effort, their accomplishments in less advanced courses may appear less impressive compared to their peers. With the majority of students graduating high school aiming to move on to college, it is difficult competing with students around the world for enrollment spots. A grading system that is based on effort and understanding, rather than solely test performance, could be a much more accurate reflection of a student’s full capabilities.
Overall, the key purpose of school is to ensure that its students have the necessary knowledge and resources to succeed once they graduate. Additionally, it is crucial that schools produce students that will become hardworking and upstanding members of society. By that logic, it is extremely important that students understand each topic thoroughly enough to apply those concepts later in life. Therefore, qualities like diligence and dedication will serve them well in the future.
One persistent argument in favor of standardized testing is that it is a clear and consistent benchmark to measure and compare students. However, with test anxiety being an increasingly common hinderance among students, the prolonged emphasis around tests in the grading system leads to misrepresentation.
According to the National Institute of Health, out of 200 students, 151 (75.5 percent) were stressed out before the exam…it is evident from these statistics that a majority of students face difficulties performing during exams.
Because test anxiety is so common, it is clear that relying on this system to score a student is simply misguided. If students were evaluated based on the amount of effort they put in, qualities such as dedication and diligence would be more accurately reflected on resumes. While some students can show these traits through their academic achievements, those who struggle with test taking would be more fairly represented in their grades. All in all, MCPS and the American education system in general should move away from standardized tests as their main form of evaluation in favor of a more equitable system that focuses on effort and comprehension.
