The push for standards-based education has been an attempt to measure and prove both student and school improvement. Standards create a system to hold schools accountable for whether or not students are meeting set expectations. Although standards are widely used by schools, educators debate whether these benchmarks reflect students’ learning and what “achievement” means for an individual or a school.

Assessments are one way to raise expectations, as well as to assure that all students are held to the same standards. Standards assume that education can bridge the gap between students at various achievement levels, and place all students on equal footing as they prepare for life after school.

Educators who disagree with standards-based assessments... (more)

The push for standards-based education has been an attempt to measure and prove both student and school improvement. Standards create a system to hold schools accountable for whether or not students are meeting set expectations. Although standards are widely used by schools, educators debate whether these benchmarks reflect students’ learning and what “achievement” means for an individual or a school.

Assessments are one way to raise expectations, as well as to assure that all students are held to the same standards. Standards assume that education can bridge the gap between students at various achievement levels, and place all students on equal footing as they prepare for life after school.

Educators who disagree with standards-based assessments often fear that standards-based education will lead teachers to “teach to the test” as a way to boost test scores, which limits student learning solely to only what is on the test. Many raise the question, do standardized assessments actually assess a student’s many skills and knowledge? Standardized tests are designed to assess specific knowledge, and are more difficult to use to assess skills such as creativity and critical thinking. Alternatives such as performance based assessments and student portfolios can be adapted to assess a student’s performance.

The National Council of Teaching Mathematics (NCTM), the world’s largest mathematics education organization, provides guidelines to help promote student achievement. The Mid-Continent for Research and Learning’s K-12 standards offer educators a resource for developing standards-based units. Research organizations such as these can help educators connect research and practice and apply the research in a meaningful way, rather than for the sole purpose of standardized assessments.
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