Students have been taking standardized tests since elementary school. First it was Case21s, then EOGs. By the time students reach high school, they’re taking PSATs, ACTs, and SATs.
These tests follow the students through their entire academic journey, measuring their knowledge through timed, high-pressure environments.
But are these tests really an accurate measure of a student’s knowledge?
Standardized tests only assess a limited set of skills like memorization and reading comprehension. They don’t take critical thinking, creativity and students who don’t perform well under pressure into consideration.
A student might understand a concept but struggle to finish a test on time or feel nervous in the testing environment, which skews their results.
Senior Aya Aani said, “I’ve always done well in class and on projects, but I freeze up on big tests. It’s frustrating because it feels like the test score matters more than everything else I’ve done all year.”
Many students feel that standardized tests don’t reflect their true abilities or learning style. On top of that, these tests often give an advantage to students who can afford expensive prep courses or private tutors.
Some might argue that since all the students are learning the same things and testing in the same environments, the scores should fairly reflect each student’s knowledge and ability, but this doesn’t take into account students who don’t perform well in these types of environments.
It’s time to rethink how we measure academic success. Students are more than just a number on a test. Real learning should be about growth, effort, and the ability to apply knowledge to real life situations, not how fast they can fill in a bubble.
