ISTEP, a standardized test for students from grades 3-8 began in Indiana in 1987. In March 2016 Mike Pence eliminated ISTEP, due to score delays, financial issues and the stress it put on young students. In 2018 the last ISTEP test was given, in the 2018-2019 school year ILEARN testing started as a replacement. 

The Campus Times writes in their article that standardized testing doesn’t prepare students for the real world, teaching specific material instead of real life skills.

They also argue that these tests affect teachers negatively as well. Claiming teachers prioritize the information that will be on the test, because teachers are often assessed based on their classes scores, causing students to fall behind in real world skills and development.

For high school students the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) is a standardized test that has and continues to spark controversy and disagreement for many people. Data from test scores show favor for wealthier students with more prep resources, it also shows that students with anxiety disorders score significantly lower. 

These tests are used for scholarships and colleges so the fear of not being able to score highly, impacts students well-being.

Although most of the public is against standardized testing this is not the case for all. Some argue that these tests hold important data that can inform officials and teachers of a specific and unique idea of what they need to change in their classroom. 

Although this can be potentially helpful data, there are numerous studies that show this data is inaccurate and that the tests that we often base our knowledge on, favors a certain demographic of students over others, and doesn’t truly represent students abilities.