Summary
Assigment 7 “Standard Bassed Assessment” A history of standardized testing in the United States reveals that during most of the decades in the middle of the twentieth century, standardized tests enjoyed a popularity and growth that was almost unchallenged. Standardized instruments brought with them convenience, efficiency, and an air of empirical science. In schools, for example, millions of children could be led into a room, seated, armed with a lead pencil and a score sheet, and almost instantly assessed on their achieve- ment in subject-matter areas in their curricula. Standardized test advocates' utopian dream of quickly and cheaply assessing students across the country soon became a political issue, and would-be office holders to this day promise to "reform" education with tests, tests, and more tests. CASAS AND SCANS At the higher levels of education (colleges, community colleges, adult schools language schools, and workplace settings), standards-based assess...