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Anthony Ruffolo

Mrs. Porter

English Comp II

23 March 2022

Standardized Testing in America is Broken

Standardized tests have controlled college acceptance rates since the passing of the

NCLB (No Child Left Behind) Act of 2001 (Berwick). Colleges have used tests like the ACT

and SAT to determine which students will be accepted into their college. As a high school

student, I have experienced the pressures of standardized testing first-hand. There is so much

unnecessary stress that standardized tests bring with them. In my case, I had added stress because

I have four older siblings who all achieved high scores on the ACT. I am a straight-A student and

have a top 5 GPA in my class. None of these matters unless I do well on my ACT. All the hard

work and effort that I have put in during my years of schooling would not matter if I scored

poorly on a standardized test. The first time I took the test I did not achieve the score that I

wanted mostly because I was nervous and anxious. My head was spinning the entire test and I

was stressed. My entire future came down to knowing whether to bubble in A, B, C, or D. I

knew the importance of the test and the implications that the tests have on my future. I spent the

next four months diligently studying from the ACT textbook guide. The sole purpose of the ACT

textbook is to learn the patterns of the ACT and give the user methods of answering the

questions. These methods are only useful on the ACT and do not help in the real world. This

preparation helped me improve my composite score by six points simply because I practiced the

patterns. During my studying between the two tests, I did not get much smarter as a person, but I

improved my ACT test-taking tremendously. This is my personal example of how the ACT is not
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an accurate representation of the smartness of a person but is more representative of the person’s

ability to take a test and recognize ACT patterns. The ACT and all other standardized tests are

not beneficial for students. They are products of socioeconomic biases along with unnecessary

stresses on hardworking students. Standardized testing and its effects of it have negatively

impacted students all across America. Standardized testing has many shortcomings, but the most

prominent is the inaccuracy of the results with misleading conclusions that are the driving force

for the test taker’s future.

The history of standardized testing is different from what one might think. Standardized

testing first came to America in 1838 to formally test students on their academic achievements.

In the next half-century, the modern education system is put in place. Standardized tests become

commonplace, and the goal of schools is to educate the majority of people instead of just rich

elitists. After the Civil War, new testing material was put in place to assess the readiness of

students wanting to attend college. By 1900, Harvard President Charles Eliot required entrance

exams to get into college. Throughout the first half of the 20th century, standardized tests

especially intelligence tests become more popular and are common among state criteria. The

army started using the first form of the SAT standardized test as a way to keep the armies

segregated. This shows that the creation of standardized tests was biased in itself and had many

flaws. By 1926, the first SAT tests were administered and were used nationwide. In 1929, the

first criticisms of standardized tests immerge at the University of Iowa and question their

benefits (History of Standardized Testing). In the second half of the 20th century, computers are

applied to standardized testing making them more effective and efficient. This leads to the Iowa

tests being administered along with the ACT. Finally, in 2001, standardized testing becomes the

basis of all scholastic measurements with the NCLB Act (History of Standardized Testing). In
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the last decade, standardized testing has been classified as “racist, classist, and sexist” with many

people opposing it (History of Standardized Testing). People also say that standardized testing

only finds good test takers and no real measurement of progress. Today, the value and accuracy

of standardized testing are still being questioned and are very controversial in America (History

of Standardized Testing).

One major problem with the results of standardized testing is the biases. As stated earlier,

standardized tests are racist, classist, and sexist. Standardized tests were popularized in the early

1900s used as entrance exams in the army. These tests were specifically used to separate the

races by score. The tests were unfair and became a driving factor in keeping the military

segregated. This same test was evolved into the SAT. The SAT is still prevalent today, so a

modern test has its roots in racism. Those racial biases are still in place today. The testing system

is made for black and other minorities to not score as well as white people.

Another bias is the cultural or socioeconomic bias. Socioeconomic variables play a huge

factor in the certain set of questions that a student would know. One group of students may have

been exposed to the question while the other may be confused by the circumstances behind the

question due to their background. The test creators on the college board design the questions

with basic knowledge held by white middle-class students that may not be common knowledge

among other communities. The higher up a student is on the socioeconomic spectrum, the higher

their test scores will be (Standardized Testing Pros and Cons). This trend is caused due to the

increased exposure of those kids to standardized tests. The more a person is used to the test and

the unique test questions, the better that person will do on the test. On the flip side, students who

are not exposed to standardized tests their entire life will not see the same success in scoring.

This example shows the cultural biases of standardized testing.

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Standardized tests not only have race and cultural biases, but they also have gender

biases. Year after year standardized tests scores show that guys score significantly higher than

girls (Saygin). This has led many people around the country to believe that men are

fundamentally smarter than women, but this notion is ignorant. In fact, women are superior to

men throughout the country in average high school GPA (Saygun). This piece of evidence

proves that men are not smarter than women. However, this does prove that standardized testing

is biased towards men and against women. A recent statistic shows that women score higher on

open-ended questions while men score higher on solely multiple-choice questions (Saygin).

Fortunately for men, the entire ACT and SAT tests are multiple-choice except for the writing

portion.

These three explanations of race, cultural, and gender biases show how standardized

testing is biased. The biases are the main reason for inaccurate results from the tests. For

example, the composite score given in the ACT does not factor in biases. The scoring system is

for white rich men. Everyone else has to deal with a bias in some way. So, a 25 on the ACT for a

minority should be counted as more than a 25 on the ACT for a wealthy white man.

The next fault of standardized testing is the lack of equal preparation between students. A

test score should not define a person on their academic capability. Many students achieve high

scores on standardized tests because they specifically prepared for the test (Sonnert et al).

Standardized tests were originally made to not be studied for, but this is far from the reality

today. Many researchers have found that standardized testing and their preparation for them do

not prepare students for long-term success.

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Fig 1. This graphic shows

that standardized testing does not prepare students for job interviews in the future (Are College

Entrance Exams a Dying Breed?).

Preparation for standardized tests includes knowing the specific details of that singular

test but does not provide overarching knowledge that will be helpful in future classes in college

and beyond. The author of this study is a sociologist that graduated from Harvard. Gerhard

Sonnert researched his study on the AP Calculus standardized test, it was concluded that there

are no long-term benefits in college from standardized test preparation. “For students with a

weaker mathematics preparation, a focus on standardized testing had a negative long-term effect;

they earned lower grades in college calculus” (Gerhard et al). This study proves that solely

focusing on test preparation disregards the necessary elements needed to succeed in college. This

may lead to one student being academically brighter than another student but having lower test

scores due to the other student studying the specific test materials. This same student who

achieved a lower score on a standardized test will achieve a higher grade in their college class.
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This is not the goal of standardized testing. The standardized test makers want to “rank” the

academic knowledge of individuals by a score (Strauss). This goal would be unachievable with

examples previously stated, therefore making the standardized testing system a failure (Gerhard

et al).

Another flaw in the scores of standardized testing is seen through the impact that it has on

the students taking the test. Many students have found a lack of motivation when it comes to

standardized testing (Ferlazzo). Throughout their entire lives, they have been given test after test

all preparing them for the ACTs and SATs in high school. Each test seems just like the last and

they don’t seem to matter especially in grade school. A student’s parents may tell them that the

test is important for their future, but this concept is hard for a young student to understand. For

the ones that are motivated to do well, the constant pressure of trying to perform year after year

on so-called “important” tests seems to be pointless. In grade school, students are dreading test

week every year. Many students even begin to stop trying on standardized tests (Ferlazzo). “A

student's motivation is important when considering test results.” One student may not do his or

her best because they do not know the importance of the test and that will impact the accuracy of

the test results.

Standardized testing does more than just demotivate students. Standardized testing causes

tremendous amounts of stress on students. Overemphasis on standardized testing can lead to

mental health issues among the test takers. When taking a standardized test, students are under

tons of pressure. They have been taught that each question could have an impact on whether or

not they will be accepted in their dream school (Fairman). This pressure causes stress and

headaches which influences the test scores. In some cases, the stresses that go along with

standardized tests cause test takers to give up on their current test. Since many students taking
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the test are under stress, their heads may not be working to their full potential. Each student

feeling stress and pressure would have their score decreased from what it would be if they were

calm and composed. In my personal experience with standardized testing, the teachers do not

prepare students for the stress side of standardized tests. The teachers do not have “methods” for

solving stress as they do for the various questions on the exam. This lack of preparation for the

inevitable stress is the main factor in score inaccuracies.

Adding on to the previous point, the stress that comes with standardized testing can lead

to long-term mental health issues. Test anxiety is a real problem in America and occurs in over

35% of students (Standardized Testing Pros and Cons). The 35% of students that experience

severe anxiety will have major score inaccuracies that would be avoided by no standardized

testing. The same 35% of students who experience test anxiety do not experience this anxiety in

low stakes standardized testing (Standardized Testing Pros and Cons). However, the combination

of high-stakes testing and time constraints causes the minds of test-takers throughout the world

to experience overwhelming amounts of stress and anxiety. This anxiety among test takers leads

to scores that are not representative of the actual academic value of that person.

The scores on standardized tests are affected by so many different variables. As explained

earlier, test scores can be affected by various biases. These can include biases between races,

gender, and cultures. The designers of the standardized tests create questions that are specifically

devised for middle to upper-class white males (Tests and Stress Bias). Another huge red flag on

the biases of standardized testing is its roots. Standardized testing evolved from literacy tests in

the army during World War One. The goal was to keep the African Americans out of the war

because they would not be able to score high enough to be in the military (History of

Standardized Testing). These tests were very effective in keeping African Americans out of the
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military and this method is evolved into standardized test practices today. That same test that was

used in the army was evolved into the SAT that is used today. This means that the racial biases

that existed back when the standardized tests were first created still exist in a form today. The

biases present in standardized testing cannot be fixed and therefore will automatically alter the

accuracy of the test scores.

The accuracy of test results can also be affected by the unequal preparation between

students. Some students may have the money to pay for the ACT and SAT preparation classes

while other students may not be able to afford them. These money maker classes have been

proven to increase test scores (Fairman). The classes do not make the students smarter, but they

do prepare the students for the standardized tests. My school sent out an email to all the juniors

and sophomores in the school with a flyer for an ACT “crash course” class that costs $200. This

class is not created to teach people as much knowledge as possible that will help them in college.

The class’s sole purpose is to make money and give the students a brief rundown on methods to

score high on the ACT. Due to classes like the one offered at my local high school, the ACT and

other standardized tests have become an assessment of who can pay the most to get a high score.

This defeats the purpose of what standardized tests were made for. Preparation classes are

another factor in determining the accuracy of the test. Students that have the funds to buy the

classes have an unfair advantage over students that are not exposed to these standardized test

classes.

The third group of variables that play a key role in the accuracy of the test is the effects

that standardized tests have on the students. Students are not robotic so each student will react

differently in various scenarios. Standardized testing put students in high-pressure rooms with

high stakes. The students are taking a test that determines their future. Each answer right or
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wrong could determine that test taker’s future. This is a lot of pressure for grade school and high

school students to endure. These pressures can lead to demotivation on the test and even some

students giving up entirely. More severe cases have led to anxiety (Standardized Testing Pros

and Cons). These pressures endured by students through the standardized tests are pointless and

unnecessary. Students that crack under pressure may not be performing to their max potential

which will alter the accuracy of the scores. Students with test anxiety will also not be able to take

the test at their peak potential which will modify the accuracy of the scores. All of these

variables show that there is no full-proof way to administer a standardized test with accurate

results to predict future success. Therefore, standardized testing is unneeded and not effective

causing unnecessary stress on students throughout America.

Even though standardized tests have many biases and other accuracy problems, there are

some potential positives to standardized testing. The concept of standardized testing is good in

its roots. When biases and other accuracy problems are taken away, the tests can be good

indicators of future college and job success (Standardized Testing Pros and Cons). The tests are

designed for white males in the middle to upper class, so when testing that group of individuals,

the tests are very beneficial. There are multiple studies that support this argument when the tests

are taken and scored for the students they are designed for. Matthew Pietrafetta, Ph.D. from

Columbia University, stated that “Standardized tests can offer evidence and promote academic

rigor, which is invaluable in college” (Standardized Testing Pros and Cons). This shows that

there are some good intentions behind standardized testing. The main point of standardized

testing is to objectively define where students are academically and where they fall short. This

would be very beneficial to society and the schooling system if they were no issues with biases

and accuracy regarding the results.

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Another positive of standardized testing is that they are reliable measuring marker for

teachers (Standardized Testing Pros and Cons). Standardized tests such as the IOWA’s allow

teachers to see if they are doing a good job teaching the students the information that they need

to do well on the tests. This is not a perfect measurement because not all students learn and

develop the same. Also, teachers have to avoid specifically preparing for the standardized tests

because as proven early, studying for individual questions on standardized tests does not benefit

students in the long term.

If the United States Department of Education could reconsider some of its policies and

restrictions on standardized tests, then the education system as a whole would be much more

advantageous in the long term and short term for students in America. The policies put in place

by the NCLB in 2001 are outdated and overused. Standardized testing has many shortcomings,

but the inaccuracy of the results with misleading conclusions has just too many downsides for

change not to happen. Change is needed to benefit all members of all classes in society. The

standardized testing system only allows a certain group of people to succeed. The results given

from the tests are misleading and inaccurate. This is due to the biases and other problems caused

by standardized tests. Without standardized testing, colleges would look to GPAs and other

factors such as service and leadership that students work their entire high school careers for. This

would incentivize doing as well as possible in school and would discourage gifted students from

not trying in school. With standardized testing, GPA is way less important than the ACT and

SAT scores. Some schools are ahead of the curve and have stopped requiring standardized test

scores to enroll in their college. As the anti-standardized testing movement grows, students

across America will now be in control of their future instead of leaving it to bubbling in “A, B,

C, or D.”
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Works Cited

Association, National Education. “History of Standardized Testing in the United States.” NEA,

2020, [Link]

history-standardized-testing-united-states

Berwick, Carly. “What Does the Research Say about Testing?” Edutopia, George Lucas

Educational Foundation, 25 Oct. 2019, [Link]

research-say-about-testing

Fairman, Janet, et al. “A Review of Standardized Testing Practices and Perceptions in

Maine.” Center for Education Policy, Applied Research, and Evaluation, Apr.

2018. EBSCOhost, [Link]

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Ferlazzo, Larry. “It's Time to Debunk the Myths about Standardized Tests.” Education Week,

Education Week, 8 Mar. 2022, [Link]

debunk-the-myths-about-standardized-tests/2022/03.

Saygin, Perihan O. “Gender Bias in StandardizedTests: Evidence from a Centralized College

Admissions System - Empirical Economics.” SpringerLink, Springer Berlin Heidelberg,

11 Mar. 2019, [Link]

“Standardized Testing Pros and Cons - Does It Improve Education?” Standardized Tests, 17 Feb.

2022, [Link]

%20are%20good,well%20as%20in%20students'%20careers

Sonnert, Gerhard, et al. “Short-Term and Long-Term Consequences of a Focus on Standardized

Testing in AP Calculus Classes.” High School Journal, vol. 103, no. 1, Fall 2019, pp. 1–
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17. EBSCOhost, [Link]

direct=true&db=pbh&AN=143287159&site=eds-live.

Strauss, Valerie. “It Looks like the Beginning of the End of America's Obsession with Student

Standardized Tests.” The Washington Post, 22 June 2020.

“Tests and Stress Bias.” Harvard Graduate School of Education, 2019,

[Link]

The Ledger. “Are College Entrance Exams a Dying Breed?” The Ledger, The Ledger, 27 Sept.

2020, [Link]

exams-dying-breed/3520713001/.