Why Standardized Testing Still Dominates (Even Though We All Know It’s Flawed)
(Because nothing says “I see you as a whole child” like a scantron.)
Standardized testing: the educational version of glitter. Nobody really likes it, it gets everywhere, and no matter how many times we try to clean it up or replace it with something better… it’s still there.
Despite decades of educators, researchers, and actual students screaming into the void that standardized tests are flawed, outdated, and about as useful as a pop quiz on the nutritional value of glue sticks, they still dominate our schools.
So let’s break it down:
Why standardized testing won’t go away
Why it should
What we could be doing instead
And how to keep your sanity during testing season (besides hiding under your desk with snacks)
First: What’s the Point of Standardized Tests?
In theory, standardized tests are supposed to:
Measure student achievement
Compare performance across schools, districts, states, galaxies
Identify gaps and areas for improvement
Hold schools accountable
Provide data for funding and policy decisions Sounds noble, right? In theory.
But in practice, it’s a little more like this:
“Hi there! We’re going to take a one-size-fits-all test created far away by people who’ve never met you, and we’re going to use the results to determine how smart you are, how effective your teacher is, and maybe whether your school gets more funding. Good luck!”
Why Standardized Tests Are Flawed (And Kind of Ridiculous)
1. They Measure How Well Kids Take Tests, Not What They Actually Know
Some students are incredible writers, creative thinkers, deep question-askers… But throw in a ticking clock, a confusing format, and the word “bubble,” and they freeze.
Standardized tests reward students who can decode tricky instructions and sit still for hours, not necessarily the ones who understand the material best.
2. They’re Biased (Yep, Still)
Despite decades of “revisions,” standardized tests continue to favor certain cultural backgrounds, learning styles, and language structures.
That means students who are multilingual, neurodivergent, or from non-dominant cultures are often at a disadvantage, not because they don’t know the content, but because the test wasn’t built for them.
3. They Narrow the Curriculum
Test season isn’t just a few days. It’s a mindset that takes over schools for months. Subjects like art, music, social studies, and science often take a backseat so students can practice reading passages about how rocks form and answer math questions with four nearly identical choices.
Inquiry? Creativity? Collaboration? Gone.
Replaced by test prep packets and countdowns on the whiteboard.
4. They Stress Everyone Out
Students? Stressed.
Teachers? Stressed.
Parents? Stressed.
The school custodian who now has to unlock a special testing closet and laminate 47 signs that say “DO NOT TALK OR BREATHE HERE”?
Also stressed..
And for what? A score that comes back months later and tells you nothing you didn’t already know?
So Why Are We Still Doing This?
Ah yes, the million-dollar question (literally, testing companies are thriving).
1. It’s About Control and Comparison
Standardized tests create neat little boxes of data that policymakers love. They let people compare schools, assign ratings, and make decisions without stepping foot in a classroom.
Are they accurate? Eh. (That’s a nice way to say NO)
Are they easy to scan into a spreadsheet? Absolutely.
2. Funding Is Tied to Scores
Many states and districts use test data to decide how money is distributed. Which means schools with low scores often get less support, not more. (Which makes total sense if you’re living in Opposite Land.)
3. Tradition and Inertia
Standardized tests have been around forever. It’s easier to keep doing what we’ve always done than to question the whole system and build something better.
Also: lobbying, politics, and people in suits who haven’t been in a classroom since the Clinton administration.
What Could We Be Doing Instead?
Let’s dream big (and practical). Here’s what real assessment could look like:
1. Performance-Based Assessments
Let students create, build, present, and explain their learning in real-world ways.
Can you build a budget? Write a speech? Solve a problem? Collaborate on a project?
Great! That’s learning.
2. Portfolios
A collection of student work over time that shows growth, reflection, and actual skill? Yes, please.
Also great for students who don’t shine on one-shot tests but have depth and persistence.
3. Teacher-Led Assessments
Crazy idea: what if the people who spend 180 days a year with students were trusted to evaluate them? Wild. Radical. Love it.
How to Survive Standardized Testing Season (Without Losing Your Soul)
Remember: Your worth is not tied to your students’ scores
Remind your students: Neither is theirs
Laugh when you can: Especially when the reading passage is about a squirrel named Greg who is facing a moral dilemma in a tree
Create space for joy and play after testing, yes, even in May
Vent with your teacher besties and share memes like it’s your job.
Final Thoughts: We Can, and Should, Do Better
Standardized testing isn’t the villain in a dramatic cape—it’s more like the dusty overhead projector of education: outdated, clunky, and somehow still hanging on.
We know it doesn’t work. We know it hurts more than it helps. And yet, here we are, sharpening pencils for another round.
But change is possible.
It starts with speaking up, pushing back, and building learning environments that reflect actual students, not test scores. Because at the end of the day, education isn’t about bubbling the right letter. It’s about becoming a fully functioning human who can think, feel, solve, wonder, and grow.
Let’s assess that.
