Sydney Rapp

Policy Speech Outline

Topic: Standardized Testing and the Education Gap in America

Introduction:
112. According to a comprehensive study done by the Council of the Great
City Schools, this is the average number of standardized exams that a
student takes between pre-K and 12th grade. Procon.org states that the use
of these tests skyrocketed with the inception of the 2002 No Child Left
Behind Act, which required annual testing in all 50 states. Debate has gone
on for years regarding the merit of standardized testing. While the different
arguments for and against it are numerous, today I want to discuss just a few
including the concept of teaching to the test, what the tests do and do not
measure, how well they indicate future college success and what methods
could be used in addition to them.

Arguments:
1. teaching to the test has replaced good teaching practices and
narrowed the curriculum
a. according to a 2007 study done by the Center on education
policy, since 2001 44% of school districts had reduced the time
spent on social studies, arts and science by an average of 145
minutes per week to focus on reading and math
b. since these test results have become a measure of performance
for the district, administrators and teachers feel pressure to
ensure high test scores
i. curriculum is manipulated to match the test and teachers
often only cover what is most likely to be on the exam
ii. methods of teaching are conforming to multiple choice
format
1. this is very simplistic considering there are only right
and wrong answers and in real-world situations it is
never this simple
iii. Some educators feels that the best way to teach is by
integrating test-taking strategies into the lessons so that
test prep does not detract from the curriculum
iv. According the Nancy Grasmick, Marylands superintendent
There is a big difference between teaching to the test and
teaching the test. If youre teaching to the test and youre
mirroring good teaching that will enhance learning, then
there is nothing wrong with that
2. What do these tests fail to measure?
a. According to Dr. Robert Sternberg, a professor of human
development the tests arent awful, just narrow. They only assess
analytical skills and fail to account for creative, practical and
ethical skills.
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i. He, and many others, feel the value of these skills are
overlooked despite the fact that college and adult life
arent all about analytical skills and memorizing, but also
effectively working on a team and managing time and
stress
ii. A 2010 College of William & Mary study found Americans'
scores on the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking have been
dropping since 1990
1. While this may not be the fault of standardized
testing, the lack of creativity required to do well on
them does not help
2. If creative students are neglected in school they may
become underachievers
b. Critical and higher-order thinking skills are neglected
c. Social and emotional skills
i. According to NPR, research has shown that the long-term
chances of success are determined by nonacademic
qualities like grit, perseverance and curiosity
ii. Use surveys to assess students social skills and emotional
intelligence
d. some test-taking skills are important to learn
i. while preparing you learn valuable skills like time
management, understanding reading passages and
following directions
ii. tests are something that students will have to deal with
through their education and even in many aspects of their
eventual professional life, so these skills are important to
learn
3. Do they really indicate how well a student will do in college?
a. According to cnn.com, in a county in Maryland uses the Gallup
Student Poll, which measures engagement, well-being and hope
i. According to research it has found that hope is a much
stronger predictor of college success than GPA, SAT or ACT
scores
ii. A study done by the National Association for College
Admissions Counseling studied the difference in GPA and
graduation rates for institutions that required students to
submit tests scores and those who didnt. It found that out
of 123,000 students at 33 different institutions, the
difference in GPA was 5 one-hundredths of a GPA point and
sex-tenths of one percent in graduation rates
1. Shows that basing acceptance on attributes besides
standardized tests are just as reliable and did not
make a significant difference in getting successful
students
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2. The data supported using GPA as a means of

evaluating students because it reflects hard-work,
self-discipline and intellectual curiosity which is what
matters most
4. What can replace them?
a. According to procon.org, Finland topped the international
education (PISA) rankings from 2001-2008 despite the absence
of using external standardized tests.
i. They use assessments that encourage students to be
active learners and analyze and use information to solve
different types of problems
b. Assess based on performance on projects, papers, presentations
and portfolios
i. According to cnn.com, the 28 schools in New York that do
this show that 91% of students in these schools are
accepted to college compared to 63% of NYC as a whole
ii. Opponents argue that this reduces objectivity and that the
performance can not be compared against one another
iii. A school quality review system can be put in place that
uses teams of people to look at curriculum and assessment
evidence, interview teachers, administrators and parents
and shadow students.
c. Game-based assessments
i. NPR states that many are designed to show higher-order
thinking and test different ways of thinking and peoples
ability to take feedback
ii. While they are still in their infancy, they eventually could
be incorporated into testing

Conclusion:
I am not suggesting that standardized tests should be eliminated all together
as they do provide a way of evaluating certain skill sets. I do think that, in
addition to standardized tests, our society should implement other ways of
testing that I mentioned to better emphasize the importance of skills such as
critical thinking, novel problem solving and the ability to work on a team.
After going through college I firmly believe that there is much more to
success than analytical skills and the memorization of concepts. Skills that
are applicable in real-world situations, such as emotional intelligence,
creativity and interpersonal skills, should always be taken into consideration
when evaluating intelligence. If any of you agree with what I have said, I urge
you to stay informed on the issue (as there is way more to it than what I
have mentioned) and vote for ones that truly better the education system.
Speak out when possible. Get involved in the protests that occur to stop the
sole use of standardized testing. Although it may seem too late for you, one
day your children will be subject to this system and we as adults are the
ones who can make a difference. If we want America to be a model for
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innovation and success, we must provide the youth with the best
opportunities to grow and develop into intellectual, well-rounded individuals.

Works Cited

GreatSchools Staff. Whats so bad about teaching to the test?

GreatSchools, 11 Mar. 2016.

www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/teaching-to-the-test/. Accessed 03

Apr. 2017.

How Standardized Testing Damages Education. FairTest, July 2012,

fairtest.org/how-standardized-testing-damages-education-pdf.

Accessed 03 Apr. 2017.

Isenberg, Ben. Standardized Tests Narrow, Don't Assess Creative Skills,

Sternberg Contends Hamilton, 27 Oct. 2015.

www.hamilton.edu/news/story/standardized-tests-narrow-dont-assess-

creative-skills-sternberg-contends. Accessed 03 Apr. 2017.

Kamenetz, Anya. What Schools Could Use Instead Of Standardized Tests.

National Public Radio, 06 Jan. 2015.

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www.npr.org/sections/ed/2015/01/06/371659141/what-schools-could-

use-instead-of-standardized-tests. Accessed 03 Apr. 2017.

Sheffer, Sarah. Do ACT and SAT scores really matter? New study says they

shouldnt. Public Broadcasting Station, 18 Feb. 2014.

www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/nail-biting-standardized-testing-may-

miss-mark-college-students/. Accessed 03 Apr. 2017.

Wallace, Kelly. Testing time at schools: Is there a better way? Cable News

Network, 04 Apr. 2016. www.cnn.com/2016/04/04/health/school-

testing-alternatives-measure-progress/. Accessed 03 Apr. 2017.