Standardized Testing and the Controversy Surrounding It Item

The purpose of this paper is to provide a general understanding of standardized testing as well as the current controversy surrounding it, particularly in the context of performance-based accountability systems. The overview addresses the following questions related to standardized testing:

• What do stakeholders need to understand about standardized testing?
• What is the history of standardized tests and how have the tests been used?
• What are the reasons for the current controversy over standardized testing?