Standardized Testing is not Teaching

This video provides an evidence-based overview of the some issues associated with standardized testing.

[theoptoutfloridanetwork]

This is perfect.  Shared with all of our State Senate and Reps on Education Committees as well as our local school board reps.  Thank you for a terrific tool to add to our toolbox.

[qwertyqwerty]

why is it that only 22, 000 people have seen this. It is difficult to realize standardized testing isn't useful because children are tested at such an early age that it all seems normal, when it shouldn't. My entire junior class refused to take the common core test and our teachers said we were being selfish.

[maura_the_rose]

Because of standardized testing, students come out of school knowing nothing about the real world (unless their school offers personal finance electives and such, ) and, like you said, demolishes creativity. I'm a fourteen-year-old writer and I do *not* like using my skills on practice TDAs and essays in literacy, and I hate programs like CPM in math.

On another note, CPM tries at improving the learning experience, but miserably fails in several different aspects. It is literally designed to teach the test, and will often give you several different ways to solve a problem to cater to the individual. While this does sound useful, it falters when kids are forced to use certain methods to find an answer and will most likely be marked wrong if said method is not applied.


Teaching to the test teaches students to rely on school to tell them everything, and, personally, I *never* leave school feeling like I learned something. It's extremely rare, and usually comes from that time I learned an ellipsis has a space in between the periods, or when I learned how sales tax work. Even my teachers dread standardized testing. Some openly testify against them, some will just sound apprehensive when talking about them, and some will. . .well, shove it down students' throats like it's important or something. (This comment got extremely casual rather. . .quickly.)


Long story short, I dread school.

I *have* been in a real learning experience where I took away so much and matured as a person and am more passionate about everything I do more than ever before. That teacher had absolutely *no* problem showing their disgust towards standardized testing.

That being said, I miss learning.


I have so much on my mind after watching this video. . .sorry if this comment just goes in too many directions all at once.

[ughmuggles]

I'm in High School and I will say that I am fed up with these tests.

On the state tests I would get higher than an 80. Well, everything went downhill 9th grade. Since they lowered the test scores for reading/writing which is now 56(somewhere in the 50s) as a passing grade, I failed it with a 53. The second benchmark I slowly progressed with a 60. The actual test I got a 70, when I would usually get 80s. I doubted myself since then.

We're suppose to take the TSI(online) to see if we're college ready. 350 is the passing score. Last year I failed reading, writing, and the math pretests, but I was still called out of class to take the actual test. Failed all 3 twice, with the same scores(341-345). I took it today (now I'm a junior), failed my reading even worse with a score of 329 and my writing still at 341 with a 4 on my essay. So according to the counselors if I fail, i will get remedial classes for college.

NOW, I have to take the ACT/SAT in order to get accepted for a college.

[daluckycat]

I’m a freshman in high school and I also have ADHD. Standardized tests are a nightmare for me and it sometimes takes literal weeks, sometimes more than a month of missed class to finish them. I’m literally taking immense amounts of the time I’d actually be learning useful information and putting it towards memorizing and writing about something I’d forget in a fraction of that time. And that was just middle school. This video needs to be shown to every school board.

[LeeAraoz]

Excellent video, Chris. I'm sharing it FAR and WIDE. Thanks for continuing to shed light on this serious problem.

[humansarentverygoodswimmer]

We had standardized testing Tuesday, Wednesday, and today (today was the last day.)
Our teacher told us that we had to take these tests because the school wanted to know whether we were viable for GT (Gifted & Talented) or not.
I mean, really? They've all lost their minds if they think they're gonna magically find more supersmartkids to put in their classes.
I'm just saying, if we're not already in GT, then we aren't getting in. When our teacher told us what the tests were for today a girl in the back jumped up and shouted "wELL I ALREADY KNOW I'M NOT GETTING IN"

[NeedForSpeedViper]

I graduated High School in June, I honestly don't remember half the stuff they tried to teach us.

[dr.mei-yanlu]

Thank you producing this succinct to-the-point animated video. I will share this with my graduate students at the university.

[thomaskessinger]

Chris, you are absolutely right. Everything that you said is true. There are kids who hate school, as it is, but all this standardized testing crap is not making it any better. It seems that the state or school board or whatever knows absolutely nothing about education. All they care about is trying to measure and compare test results of every school and student as if it were some kind of competition. On top of that, they come up with dire consequences if a school doesn't make AYP. I also feel bad for the teachers that bust their humps to get through college and get a degree in education, and yet getting brainwashed by those standardized testing administrating crackpots on how to teach. A few beloved teachers of mine just decided to throw in the towel and retire because they couldn't take anymore of the standardized testing-based school cirriculum. I didn't blame them at all. They both loved teaching and would've gladly kept on doing so if it weren't for these standardized tests. Teaching is a very noble profession, and what's more, most teachers love their job very much, only to have their enthusiasm and love for their job being stripped away due to testing.

[Koremel]

What tests has learned me is that

The better grades you have the more your parents love you

[alo]

OH, that awful SAT. You spend hours upon hours on knowledge and wisdom that is pretty much only relevant to that one exam.

[erikarikhiram]

The main thing I feel for the tests is they shouldn't make it a requirement in order for students to graduate. I think that is wrong on all levels.

[sbyrd]

i have a petition on change.org about standardized testing my i add this video please?

[sophiayamagughi]

I'm taking so many standardized tests being in high school though. It's horrible- really. It's making me feel shittier than I already feel.

[ellabakker]

@ChrisTienken This video is really well done. A group of students and I are making a video against standardized testing-- using your video and listing your name in the credits. We can share it with you when it gets published.

[SpeechTammy]

I'm generally a rational person- but it's things like this that get me all twitchy and conspiracy theorizing.  Beautiful piece, sadly, I am starting to doubt if anyone can listen over the noise of the Pearson Factory.

[ernna]

I literally just started middle school and I'm scared cause of the experience I've had today was my first day and I'm already stressing

[ZeldagigafanMatthew]

While the intents of standardized testing may have been good, it falls flat on its face and the states are not willing to admit its failings. For a test to be effective, the results need to be delivered quickly, and you need to see what you got wrong and where you went wrong. Not just a sum of all the questions you got right. And the worst part is, that they only look at what you put in on the scantron, so for those "fill in the number" ones, it doesn't matter what kind of work you have done, it doesn't matter if you are off by just one digit, it will be counted incorrect.

[CagedJock]

I once went to jersey village high school in Houston. All I did during 10th and 11th grades were testing. There was a test every single week. I didn’t learn much.