pros and cons of standardized testing...

the state of texas has used standardized testing for as long as i can remember. the state uses them to judge how much the students are "learning." these rise in emphasis on these test was brought about by No Child Left Behind which requires such test. although these test have their benefits, there is a lot of opposition towards them. i'm going to talk about both the pro and the cons of standardized testing.

first off, ill talk about the pros and test like the TAKS, and the SAT. these test are in place to help schools and educational leaders provide better learning opportunities and more beneficial lesson plans. these test are also seen as a good way to show how well a district or specific student is doing, and how much they know. now the pros are hard to find and very flawed.

now, i'll talk about the cons. there are many problems with standardized testing. one of them is that standardize testing is not fair to students with learning disabilities. another is the stress that these test put on the students and faculty. some school grants are based on these test scores. also in most districts a student can move up a grade unless the pass these test. another problem with these tests is that the entire school year is now spent prepare for these tests, the curriculum is rigidly set to provided good scores.

now i'm sure you can infer that i am not a fan of standardized tests. i believe that most students and teachers alike feel the same way that i do. ultimately you have to make up your own mind on this issue, but i would like to see these kinds of test become a thing of the past.