1. "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a
tree,it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."
-Albert Einstein
Standardized testing might be considered the bane of a
student's existence. Whether it be WESTEST, TerraNova,
the ACT, SAT, or any number of other standardized tests
in the United States, no one likes to take them.
Regardless of how much they're dreaded or how miserable
they are to take, they are simply not an
accurate measure of student intelligence or
achievement. Some students are excellent thinkers, but
poor test takers; they might excel at demonstrating
material in a hands-on manner, but fail to exhibit
their knowledge in a traditional, paper-and-pencil
test. In addition, outside factors might intervene with
a student's ability to concentrate on the test and
receive an accurate evaluation. For instance, a student
might be experiencing a divorce or the loss of a loved
one, or any number of crises that causes him or her to
test at a lower level than s/he normally would.
Furthermore, with the pressure put on teachers to have
their students pass these exams, students are receiving
less of a well-rounded education, and more of an

2. education driven by the content of the standardized
test. Less time is spent on subjects that aren't as
emphasized on the exams (like social studies, science,
and the arts), because teachers are focusing
their lesson plans around math and reading.
Of course, there is some good that can come out of
standardized testing, such as providing a common
standard to ensure consistency in education across the
state and country, but as aforementioned, it is not a
reliable depiction of student achievement, and may not
necessarily guarantee consistency. The cons certainly
outweigh the benefits.