Why do schools give standardized tests?
Standardized tests are a formal and objective source of information that can be gathered on a large group of students in a short period of time. Educators use standardized testing, and specifically test data, along with their judgements and experiences with students to make appropriate decisions regarding a student’s education. Norm-referenced tests provide information that can help educators make comparisons between groups of students. Criterion-referenced tests provide information about students' progress toward a defined standard, such as state learning standards.
Educators use the results from standardized tests in many ways. Test results provide important information to parents alerting them to their student’s academic successes and indicating areas where additional work and study would be beneficial. In the classroom, test results provide teachers with information about how a student compares to other students, which objectives have been learned or need to be addressed again, and which adjustments can be made to the instructional scope and sequence to enhance student learning. At the school level, test results inform the development of curriculum, the selection of textbooks and other resources, and the implementation of special programs. On a larger scale, district and state testing results affect curriculum guidelines, school funding, professional development, the setting of learning standards, and other policies. |
