Standardized Testing and Teacher Cheating - 1640 Words

In the contemporary American education system high-stakes standardized testing has resulted in a focus on extensive test preparation, as well as a large increase in the numbers of teachers cheating by alternating their students test scores. Both these phenomena are a direct consequence of the incentives and punishments directly linked to standardized test results. Many teachers have taken acceptable measures in improving their students’ scores, such as simply â€Å"teaching to the test†, and taking class time to teach test taking techniques and procedures often resulting in a significant loss in time for other important standards and benchmarks that are not tested on. Taking a deontologist stance, one would propose that the teachers are†¦show more content†¦Also, these methods of test score fluctuation results in a false impression of the schools educational quality. Many parents seek to send their children to a highly ranked school district – often judged by standardized test scores – however, when educators partake in test day activities that raise their reputation as a â€Å"great teacher†, they are misrepresenting the true value of their classroom, and parents are sending their children into a classroom with high expectations in mind, and are ultimately being misled and deceived. This cycle also results in honest schools and districts loosing high performing students to these cheating misrepresented schools, causing the authentic schools test scores to lower, and for its funding to eventually be cut. There are several courses of actions that would result in a level playing field for districts. One view states that all teachers should instruct and prepare the students by the standard benchmarks, and rest assure that come test day they will succeed to the best of their ability, and it will be an accurate representation of their teaching abilities. This method assumes that the standardized test is an ultimate accurate representation of the material a student should have mastered. Another method that could be defended by utilitarianism is that all educators should do everything they can to help the student achieve a high test score; resulting in higher funding for all schoolShow MoreRelatedStandardized Testing Is A Common Routine Part Of Their School Year1202 Words   |  5 Pagesof all ages across the United States, standardized testing has become a common routine part of their school year. Many laws have been passed over the years, requiring countless standardized tests throughout a student’s educational career for every student.This educational norm has been implemented for the past eighty years for the purpose of allowing comparisons to be made among schools in regards to student achievement, ensuring accountability for teachers, and informing instruction for educators;Read More The Disadvantages Of Standardized Testing Essay examples1702 Words   |  7 PagesStandardized tests must be improved. Instead of traditional standardized testing, random testing should be put in place and tests themselves should be reconstructed to promote fairness, reduce errors and and more accurately assess student’s knowledge. Testing should be done to random groups of students on random dates throughout the year. There will be a large enough group of students to give a good idea of how well material is being taught but a small enough group that not everyone needs to takeRead MoreWhy Americas Educational System is Failing1123 Words   |  5 Pagesemphasis on st andardized testing and not individual student achievement. Although the United States uses standardized testing as a crutch, it is not an effective measure of a student’s ability, a teacher’s competency, or a school’s proficiency. Cheating can be a common routine in a classroom—from copying work on homework to copying answers on a test. â€Å"Cheating by teachers and administrators on standardized tests is rare, and not a reason to stop testing Americas children† (Standardized Tests). Read MoreThe Flaws of Standardized Testing Essays1416 Words   |  6 PagesIt is the one time of year when it seems all teachers, administrators, and even students are stressed. Parents are enforcing their kids to get to bed at a decent time, eat a healthy breakfast, and to not forget their number two pencils. It is TCAP testing time. Standardized testing has been a norm for over seventy-five years in almost every first- world country. From state regulated tests, to the â€Å"college-worthy† ACT and SAT, standardized tests have become a dreaded rite of passage for every studentRead MoreEthical Issues of Standarized Testing 1322 Words   |  6 PagesIn the contemporary American education system, high risk standardized testing has resulted in a monumental shift in the classroom to a focus on extensive test preparation, as well as a large influx of instructors cheating and alternating their students tests; both can be seen as a direct consequence of the heightened incentives and punishments placed upon teachers. Many teachers have taken acceptable measures in improving their students’ scores, such as simply â€Å"teaching to the test†, and takingRead MoreStandardized Testing1272 Words   |  6 PagesSynthesis Essay on Standardized Testing Standardized testing in the United States started in the mid- 1800’s (Standardized Tests - ProCon.org). This kind of testing was originally created to measure students’ performance and progress in school (Standardized Tests - ProCon.org). In recent years, the public school system has relied heavily on the information this test provides, in doing so creating controversy. Other than being a student myself, and participating in multiple standardized exams such asRead MoreThe Education System Of The United States1174 Words   |  5 Pagesuse of Federal funding creates high stake environments, that effect students and teachers differently. With these high expectations for standardizing test scores, teachers are promised large bonus incentives in return. In 2009, schools were given the option to apply for funding by The Race to the Top Fund, and these expectations cause teachers and students to have high stress and anxiety in standardized school testing. The new expectation s from federal funding change the educational curriculum, inducesRead MorePros And Cons Of Standardized Testing1647 Words   |  7 PagesTherefore , standardized testing was made to see how much intelligence a person has on a topic .However standardized tests don’t measure how people learn in a classroom . standardized testing is not a good way to test students because tests don’t measure an individual intelligence , tests should not be used to determine funding for school , the teachers cheat on the tests to protect the students ,and its ethically wrong to give a lot of standardized tests to kids . Teachers should takeRead MoreThe Existing Ethical Issues of American Standardized Testing1746 Words   |  7 PagesAfter the implementation of the â€Å"No Child Left Behind Act† high risk standardized testing has become a pressure cooker of corruption in the United States due to often unrealistic expectations, abundant incentives, and harsh punishments placed upon educators and administrators, overall resulting in the essential need for reform. The concept that every student’s academic ability can be assessed by a single universal exam is a misguided notion. A large majority of educators are subject to severe punishmentsRead MoreThe Culture of Testing Essays862 Words   |  4 Pagesstudent body? Students should not be evaluated using standardized testing because they do not effectively measure a student’s complete academic capability. These tests limit the amount of true knowledge an individual can express in one sitting. Through the system of standardized testing, certain attributes cannot be accounted for. Multiple attributes such as â€Å"self-discipline† and â€Å"leadership† are disregarded in the creation of standardized tests (Harris et al. 1). These valuable traits are not