Ryleigh McGinley

Abstract:

Your palms are sweating as you leave your mother’s car at 7:30 AM to enter a strange school to take the test that is considered your “fate”. These standardized tests are administered to assess general knowledge in an equal manner, as advertised. Some well known examples of standardized tests include the SAT, ACT, MCAT, and state administered tests. The government and school boards praise these high-stake tests as a tool to track educational progress, check the curriculum, and rank students on a general level. They also give numerous opportunities to students in terms of scholarships, admissions to college, or graduation requirements. However, these standardized tests appear to be biased for a specific population to succeed. Numerous studies have been conducted and proved that these so-called “equal” tests actually discriminate against students, and can be harmful to the educational system. Thus, standardized tests should be reformed as English language learners, lower functioning students, students of color , and teachers are negatively affected.