Standardized testing has long been the cornerstone of the American education system, serving as a measure of student achievement, performance, and a key factor in college admissions. Its effectiveness, however, has been under scrutiny for just as long. Critics question whether these exams genuinely support learning or if they require immediate reform.
Supporters of standardized testing highlight how such exams offer an effective and uniform way of evaluating students across various schools and states. Standardized tests hold teachers responsible, ensuring that students receive a quality education. Likewise, standardized testing can identify gaps in learning and identify areas that need improvement. Recently, rumors that the state of New York is making Regents exams optional have been circulating. Optional Regents exams would be detrimental to school programs across the state, as most students would opt out. Therefore, New York State would not be able to monitor academic progress, therefore, rendering the tests useless. Even if the tests themselves do not directly teach anything, they are still important for developing skills such as time management and reading analysis. Taking these tests may be tedious, but in the end, they are an efficient way of assessing what students have learned that year.
Science teacher Joseph Puleio explained his outlook on the test: “I don’t think the test itself has changed that much; the questions usually repeat year after year. In a few years, the test might not even count.” Puleio’s explanation of these tests raises questions about whether these exams truly measure student ability or simply encourage a cycle of repetition.
Furthermore, it is important to recognize the impact standardized testing has on the ones who are actually taking the tests: students. Sophomore Annabelle Murray shared her perspective: “[Standardized tests] are created for one form of learners while children learn in many different ways. They also promote memorization instead of problem solving.” Murray provides key insight as to how standardized testing hinders student learning. Instead of promoting critical thinking and creativity, these exams often encourage memorization and focus on test-taking strategies, limiting students’ ability to engage deeply with the material.
LHS students are fortunate enough to be provided with various resources to help them throughout their high school journey, especially preparing for tests like these. However, this is not the case at many schools. Students from higher-income backgrounds are given a drastic advantage as they have access to private tutoring or expensive preparation, while lower-income students who do not have all these resources tend to perform poorly and not have the opportunity to properly showcase their abilities. Guidance Chairperson Sue Moller elaborated on the significance of these tests: “It really depends on what degree you’re going for, some weigh the results of those tests more than others, of course. When a college looks at your grades, if they see that your overall average is good but your tests are bad, then it will definitely look strange.”
The debate over standardized testing is very unlikely to be resolved anytime soon. Although these tests provide a simple and measurable way to track student progress, they also show significant drawbacks that could negatively impact students and teachers.