The corporate reformers love standardized testing. They treat the scores as sacred truths. The scores are the measure of success or failure. We hear again and again that school choice will close the achievement gap. We hear it from rightwing think tanks and governor’s who never showed any interest in the well-being of poor children and children of color. As a matter of fact, the achievement gap will never close because it is a reflection of the measure. Standardized tests are normed on a bell curve. The bell curve never closes.
Steven Singer explains the problem with standardized tests. They measure privilege. Their standard is whiteness and advantage. They give honor to those who have the most.
He writes:
“We talk about standardized testing as if we don’t really understand what it is.
“We say we want No child left behind!
“And then we pass a law named after that very sentiment that ensures some students MUST be left behind.
“We say we want Every student to succeed!
“And then we pass a law named after that very sentiment that ensures every student will NOT succeed.
“It would be absurd if not for the millions of children being forced to endure the harsh reality behind our pretty words.
“It’s not these ideals that are the problem. It’s standardized testing.
“Researchers, statisticians, and academics of every stripe have called for an end to high stakes testing in education policy. Parents, students and teachers have written letters, testified before congressional committees, protested in the streets, even refused to take or give the tests. All to deaf ears.
“The federal government still requires all students in 3-8th grade and once in high school to take standardized tests.
“But these assessments are graded on a curve. A certain amount of students are at the bottom, a certain amount are at the top, and most are clustered in the middle. This would be true if you were testing all geniuses or all people with traumatic brain injuries.
“It doesn’t matter how smart your test takers are. There will always be this bell curve distribution. That’s how the tests are designed. So to talk about raising test scores is nonsensical. You can raise scores at school A or School B, but the total set of all test takers will always be the same. And some students will always fail.
“But that isn’t even the worst part.
“Standardization, itself, has certain consequences. We seem to have forgotten what the term even means. It’s defined as the act of evaluating someone or something by reference to a standard.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
I think standardized testing is bad for all races.
I don’t think that, VM. . . .
. . . I am 100% sure of it.
Cross-posted at
http://www.opednews.com/Quicklink/Steven-Singer-on-Standardi-in-Best_Web_OpEds-Diane-Ravitch_Privilege_Public-Education_School-161031-772.html#comment626040
I added 4 comments: with embedded links if you go to the article:
1- “High-stakes testing violates human rights and undermines democracy. The frequent evaluation — year by year, month by month, day by day, and sometimes even hour by hour — of students violates their basic rights and, indirectly, also of the rights of their teachers and parents. This inhumane practice has nothing to do with well reasoned and well designed assessments required before taking over a responsible position in our society
It restricts students’ thinking and reflection.
It leaves too little opportunity for the development of moral competence. It produces “subjects” not citizens of a democracy.
As many decades of research into the development of moral competence shows, simply through the extreme proportion of time absorbed by the preparation for evaluations and other activities required by authorities, students are prevented from developing the ability to solve problems and conflicts through thinking and discussion instead of through violence, deceit and power. They will later, as adults, depend, as Thomas Hobbes has pointed out, on a “strong state” and on dictators to keep violence, deception and power within bounds. Morally competent citizens don’t need a “Leviathan.”
These tests are built on a false postulate which says: each and every human response to a test is determined only by one disposition, namely the competence or personality under consideration, except for some degree of random measurement error which can be easily minimized by repeating measurements. This core postulate is totally wrong: A single response is usually determined but by several dispositions at the same time, not just by one.”
2-Statisticians Mark Palko and Andrew Gelman explain why a relentless obsession with test scores ruins the value of the scores. As their prime example, they refer to Eva Moskowitz’s Success Academies, where children and teachers live for higher scores. Not only are the children’s names and ranking posted, so are the teachers’.
3- FairTest has been fighting the overuse and misuse of standardized testing for more than 40 years. Recognizing that you can’t defeat a failed system by complaining, FairTest has designed a state system for assessment that does not rely on standardized testing.
The new system relies on student work and teacher judgment. It takes advantage of a provision in ESSA that allows seven states to create innovative approaches to asssessment. This is a plan that is research-based, reasonable, and feasible.
4- Jonathan Pelto writes about the bizarre decision by the Obama administration and Congress to mandate annual testing (a practice not found in any high-performing nation), then to allocate $9 million to “reduce the burden” that it created.
Diane Ravich adds: “Chalk one more up for the greed and deceptiveness of the education testing industry and their corporate education reform allies in and of government.”
I am against charters and we are over-utilizing standardized tests for sure. However, it is an absolute falsehood that underprivileged students cannot pass these exams. We need better discipline and more behavioral supports for the inner-city students and the baggage they arrive with. We also need more leverage with parents because of their abuse of us and the enabling of their children. Mandatory parenting classes and making verbal abuse and physical threats illegal toward school staff, e.g., police officers, would help to turn this tide and get kids working and focused in class.
I shattered the achievement gap at my alternative high school. I credit my high standards, my refusal to accept anything less than top notch work, and paying attention to what my student would and would not do (no one would do homework!). What I had that was different, and crucial to their success, was the freedom to teach as I saw fit. This happened because everyone else had given up on these kids, they were essentially thrown away, so we soared.
As someone that has worked with language and ethnic minority ELLs, I find standardized tests unnecessary and, in many cases, harmful. The content of such tests represent norms based on the majority language and culture. This leads to prejudicial assumptions about students that are not middle class Americans. I have always worked as an advocate for the best interests of language minority students. When I taught high school, I fought to get ELL students that were bright into challenging academic programs, and I have fought to keep some students out of special services when I saw potential not reflected in testing. At first, I was viewed as a iconoclast, and later I was viewed as an advocate when most of my judgments proved to be true. I also supported many of the decisions of the committee on special education, and we all learned how to collaborate. I know many of these students can perform at high levels, but it takes time, and biased testing that tries to pigeonhole and limit opportunities for non-traditional students is harmful. These students need compassion, room to breathe, support and access to opportunity. There is no need rush to judgment about the potential of ELLs based on standardized testing.
Not only does standardized testing have a well-documented and many decades long tradition in this country—
There is a well-documented and many centuries old tradition of a high-stakes “high-standards” standardized test given to huge numbers of people. Proven result: it privileged the privileged and disadvantaged the disadvantaged.
Where, might you ask? Read Yong Zhao, WHO’S AFRAID OF THE BIG BAD DRAGON?: WHY CHINA HAS THE BEST (AND WORST) EDUCATION SYSTEM IN THE WORLD (2014).
Just a sample from p. 5: “High-stakes testing is America’s Faustian bargain, made with the devil of authoritarianism. Under the rules of authoritarianism, which gave birth to high-stakes testing in the first place, disrespect of teachers as professional colleagues and intrusion into their professional autonomy are praised as characteristics of no-nonsense, tough leadership with high expectations.” Followed by the name “Beverly Hall.” [Hint: that’s called a teaser. Buy the book.]
Translation of Chinese example to USA reality: corporate education reform.
Rheeally!
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One of the most pernicious effects of high-stakes standardized testing is that it provides numerical proxies for genuine learning and teaching that are accepted by the general public as accurate and trustworthy ways to measure/assess/judge all-around quality and effort and results. The numbers & stats end discussion before it even begins—which is what they are intended to do. Hence the uses and misuses and abuses of the scores generated by standardized tests (e.g., VAMania).
Want another POV on this whole spectacle? Cathy O’Neil, WEAPONS OF MATH DESTRUCTION (2016).
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I recall when NCLB was introduced with all the testing, administrators kept saying, “This is so minorities won’t be forgotten.” Who was forgetting them, at least not in our school? Now testing is being used to “fail” students and schools so corporations can profit from them.
For whom does the bell curve never close?
Anyone who takes a standardized test designed to produce data points that form a bell curve.
A bell curve is a lie, in the first place. I for one want honest results, and transparency.
Like!!
As a high school graduate, I experienced stress and tension during my college application process and standardized testing. Considering my top overall college choice, maintaining a proper grade point average, and researching and writing essays, not only made my life busy, but I spent one day of a weekend sitting in a classroom, faced with my final step to college: the SAT. Unfortunately, my 4-digit score was not enough for my top college pick to consider my admission. As I see it today, standardized testing is limiting high school graduates to further their studies at their college dream choice. Today’s era still marks no change in the “achievement gap” for the disadvantaged “achievement gap”. Not everyone can surpass the difficulties of the standardized test. Steven Singer understands the limitless opportunity of what students have in The United States education system. Yes, the scores are the measures of success or failures. However, many colleges may not notice the talents and courage students develop throughout their four years in high school. I would like to highlight the comment above from “retired teacher”. I do agree with your response about giving students time and space. Your true statement shows the passion you once had with your students. I hope to see a change in the future for more young talented generations to come.
As a high school graduate, I experienced stress and tension during my college application process and standardized testing. Considering my top overall college choice, maintaining a proper grade point average, and researching and writing essays, not only made my life busy , but I spent one day of a weekend sitting in a classroom, faced with my final step to college: the SAT. Unfortunately, my 4-digit score was not enough for my top college pick to consider my admission. As I see it today, standardized testing is limiting high school graduates to further their studies at their college dream choice. Today’s era still marks no change in the “achievement gap” for the disadvantaged “achievement gap”. Not everyone can surpass the difficulties of the standardized test. Steven Singer understands the limitless opportunity of what students have in The United States education system. Yes, the scores are the measures of success or failures. However, many colleges may not notice the talents and courage students develop throughout their four years in high school. I would like to highlight the comment above from “retired teacher”. I do agree with your response about giving students time and space. Your true statement shows the passion you once had with your students. I hope to see a change in the future for more young talented generations to come.