Final Blog Post for Standardized Testing

Posted by Kimberly Bush in American Government - Laufenberg on

Link to the actual google dock =]


What We’ve Discovered So Far:


As of 2010, Standardized Testing has finally been given the attention that it needs. What was, and sadly still is, used as a major resource to evaluate a student’s intelligence, is now recognized to be a failed attempt.



President Barack Obama & Vice President Joe Biden:

Both of these politicians believe that a student is more than a bubble sheet. These politicians believe that education can not be obtained by memorizing the answers to questionnaires but by researching and engaging in experiments. They describe a hands on learning environment to be the most effective way of learning.


The No Child Left Behind Law:

It seems as though this law has been left behind completely. Obama, Biden, and Chakka Fattah believe that this law needs to be changed or just removed.


According to Joe Biden,

“We know what we need to do, and its not No Child Left Behind.”


Barack Obama believes

that The No Child Left Behind Law “leaves the money behind”.


According to Chaka Fattah,

the No Child Left Behind Law is, “intellectually dishonest because it holds children accountable for test scores when their schools lack resources.”


FairTest:

The National Center for Fair & Open Testing (FairTest) is working to end the “misuses and flaws of standardized testing” and to make sure that the assessment of students, teachers, and schools is fair and benefits the education.

This organization has set many goals to try to change the future of education for students, especially those going into college. From stopping the misuses of SAT/ACT scores to determine eligibility for college financial aid to attacking the false notions that test scores equal merit, this center aims for equality and much more for all students.


Throughout my research on Standardized Testing, I saw that there were many various people who opposed this way of testing, yet nothing has really been done to actually STOP it. You see politicians saying all the time that a student needs hands-on learning and such, but have they done anything to see to it that the student gets this type of learning? Because of this, I wrote to the Washington Times which is a popular newspaper in Washington D.C.

My Letter Consisted of:
  • The project based learning curriculum at my school, Science Leadership Academy.
  • My views on the SAT’s and how they affect my education and my future education.
  • Facts and Statistics about SAT scores and the outcome (ex. more money = better SAT score)


However, I never got a reply back from the newspaper...

What Would I Do Next?

Well, as I mentioned before, FairTest is an organization that I support and after writing to the Washington Times, I would share my story with them. I would love to actually have a one-on-one talk with them about their views on Standardized Testing and what can replace it. Also, hopefully they would value a student’s opinion on the topic and not see it as biased but rather passionate about making education much more engaging. If I had their support, I would start a group in Philadelphia that talked about education and the things that we could do to save it. Hopefully, my doings would inspire others to come out and voice their opinions, and with this, I could possibly inform more people, even politicians, that America is not happy with their education.

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