Standardized Testing: Does It Mean Anything?

One of the most angst-ridden features of formal education over the last 20+ years (in any country) must be Standardized Testing. For as long as its existence it has been fraught with stress and controversy, and in the year 2025 the practice has reached a point where students from grades K-12 will have sat for a total of 112 standardized tests across the span of their academic careers.

What was the original point of standardized tests, and why were they invented? Have they enhanced student learning and improved instructional outcomes, or are they one of many evaluatory devices that have come into existence lately that contribute little to student achievement but pad the pockets of testing companies?

The first standardized tests in the United States were implemented in the 19th century. Rather than evaluate students by achievement, they were sorted instead by ability in order to identify kids who might succeed in the future and avoid wasting resources on those who were ‘slower’.

It wasn’t until the 1960’s that the government began to push newer tests that evaluated instruction itself as well as individual schools. Since that time, they have become more prevalent to a point where current US students take 8 standardized tests a year for a combined total of 112 between grades pre-k-12. Testing companies, to no one’s surprise, have profited handsomely by these requirements, bringing in a total of 1.4 billion for Pearson alone in 2024.

As we have done in past articles, let’s review the pros and cons of standardized testing before we consolidate the information into actionable recommendations.

Pros of Standardized Testing

• Standardized tests help to reduce bias in student assessment by providing a consistent scoring system with highly consistent requirements (for ex. multiple choice format, same amount of time given, etc) in order to assure fair and accurate results.
• The effectiveness of teaching in certain subjects can be evaluated. For example, if a given state or district is not performing well in math, the tests can pinpoint why and demonstrate where improvements are needed.
• Because standardized tests are identical, they can be used to create comparisons between districts and states for a more meaningful educational outcome.
• Standardized tests provide data to inform state and federal governments for research and policy purposes

Cons of Standardized Testing

• The biggest con of standardized tests by far, particularly with the increase in quantity, is the stress they cause students. Given the importance that scores currently present to schools, most go out of their way to pressure students to study, perform, and excel to a point where stress may become debilitating. Students may have trouble sleeping or eating, and stress may become such that their performance is affected. Teachers may also experience the stress of impact on their evaluations and schools, as well as an impact on funding.
• Standardized tests do not measure intelligence. As objective as standardized tests are touted to be, they do not measure general intelligence or the potential to achieve later in life. They are a very singular measure that does not measure or encourage collaborative learning or student development, making them less useful for the individual than the state.
• Similar to the above, standardized measurements typically measure only a very narrow subtext of skills (for example, reading and math), but utterly neglect broader skills that are necessary for future success including cooperative learning, social skills, creativity, and critical thinking. Because of this, a broader analysis of student achievement may be lacking.
• Due to the current emphasis on standardized testing in schools, teachers spend more and more time teaching ‘to’ the tests. This results in the omission of countless (and potentially more) relevant topics being covered during the school year, which can lead to a much more narrow education.

Standardized tests are a fact of educational life in this century and it does not appear that they will disappear anytime soon. While they certainly have their uses, the information they impart is generally of more benefit to institutions and governments than individuals. Some parents may choose to use them for their own personal reference, but academically speaking they are by no means necessary or indispensable to the education of most students.

A more informative and effective approach may be the use of short quizzes or ‘exit’ tickets at the conclusion of every studied skill, assembled portfolios, narrative reports, individual unit tests, or a collection of evaluations that, when combined, form a wide-ranging picture of the progress of a student. Given the relatively recent appearance of standardized testing, they are by no means vital to ensure that any child gets the education he or she needs.