The Danger of Using Tests to Measure Success
In our standardized test-heavy education world, it’s commonplace for schools, teachers, and students to be labeled as succeeding or failing based on scores. But a piece in this week’s Washington Post by educator Marion Brady spotlights the dangers of going too far with how we use tests to measure success.
Brady recounted the tale of an anonymous friend who’s "on the school board of one of the largest school systems in America" and decided to see what it’s like to take the standardized tests that 10th graders in his district are required to take and pass. He told Brady that he only scored in the 62nd percentile on the reading test, and on the math section, he got a dismal 10 out of 60 questions correct."
Of course, most college-educated adults wouldn't do too well on the math section of the standardized tests