SAT, STAAR, MCQs.

It’s funny how seemingly basic tests can cause such a headache.

In my time taking standardized testing, I have always questioned the purpose of the tests. Of course, the reason that is given is that they are designed to test our knowledge on subjects, but I never felt that it was testing my knowledge; it really just felt like a guessing game. Standardized tests do not test whether students know an answer or not, but rather if they are able to make good, educated guesses between four or five similar choices. The timed aspect creates a stressful environment for test takers who already deal with test anxiety. 

It’s been a long time since standardized testing was first used; the earliest recorded instances of standardized testing happened during the Han Dynasty during the first century. After 2,000 years, one would think there would be some reconsideration of how beneficial standardized testing really is. It’s possible that some people are just bad test takers. Students will perform well in the class and on assignments, yet still fall short when it comes to a final test. It’s not necessarily that a student doesn’t know the information, rather there are a multitude of factors that can affect how a student takes a test, including lack of sleep, what you eat or don’t eat, attitude going into a test or anxiety. 

Factors like this are controllable and have solutions; there are ways to prepare yourself for a test and cause less anxiety. However, conditions such Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) do not really have a solution — it’s something that students just have to live with. Test taking with ADHD can be difficult, as people with ADHD get distracted easily and it can be hard for them to focus at times. Even though there are ways to have accommodations for people who have ADHD or other conditions that may impact how they are able to take a test, it doesn’t change the fact that some students will just naturally not take tests well. 

It’s time to move away from standardized testing, a practice that has been flawed from the start. These tests prioritize being able to take a test and not fully understand and know the content being tested over. Some countries such as Japan, Finland, Canada and France have all either completely gotten rid of or minimized standardized testing. So far, it’s been very successful as all three countries have top average IQ scores and have exceptional Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) scores. 

Places such as Japan and Canada have moved away from including standardized tests in the curriculum. Instead, they have a small amount of standardized tests taken every few years of school. Even though it’s not fully abolishing standardized testing, it’s a step in the right direction. It also seems to be working, as Japan has the highest average IQ in the world, and Canada is in the top 10 of countries with the highest IQ. 

Unlike Japan and Canada, Finland completely removed standardized tests from their curriculum, except for one exam students take when they finish school. Finland is also ranked in the top 10 of highest average IQ in the world. The Finnish education system prioritizes learning over testing and has proven that this model can be successful. 

There are many factors that go into why some countries still practice standardized testing, but a main one is a country’s economy. To put it simply, some countries just can’t afford to move away from standardized testing, nor do they have the resources to take advantage of what is already available around the world. But for a major economic power like the United States, it begs the question: “Why?” Why are we, as a society, still using this flawed system of standardized tests when other methods have proven to be effective for other countries? We’re in a new era where students are feeling the pressure of school more than ever and mental health struggles in students are at a record high. Why are we still using a system that is stress inducing, ineffective and not really accessing knowledge and learning? A change needs to be made for the benefit of a new generation and the generations after.