IMPACT OF STANDARDIZED TESTING 1
The Impact of Standardized Testing on Minority
Students in Urban Underfunded Settings
Malcolm Taylor
School of Education, Liberty University
Introduction
Standardized testing is widely believed to tell the entire story of a student’s achievement
level and how much they can learn. Standardized testing weighs so heavily in the educational
world as it ties to school-state report cards, student-predicted achievement gains, college and
career readiness, school funding, school-to-prison pipeline, and possible school population
numbers. The proponents of standardized testing are widely believed to be an objective method
of holding schools accountable while assessing student achievement. Are students from
underprivileged and urban backgrounds able to achieve exceptional success on these
standardized tests because they are continuously fair and objective?
IMPACT OF STANDARDIZED TESTING 2
Research over the years has proven that students in urban settings mainly come from
lowincome homes. This results in a major controversy in the field of education with the
misrepresentation of data in low-income and minority communities (Renzulli, 2021). Many
educators share the opinion that standardized testing does not represent the learning or growth
of their students in their classrooms. Many other educators may feel the exact opposite and
believe that data tells the full story. Taking a step back and looking at the materials that are
being used to prepare students for these assessments has to be a process that is followed to
ensure that materials cover all cultures and diverse backgrounds. The material needs to be
relevant to different cultures and backgrounds. It should cover the same material in ways that
can be relatable to the economic and social background of the students being serviced. This is
one of the major stepping stones to ensuring equity across the board for urban, rural, and
suburban schools when preparing for standardized assessments.
Background of Topic
Standardized testing like the Scholastic Assessment Test and American College Test are
just a couple of examples of assessments that are used nationwide to gauge the achievement
levels of students. Many schools in urban areas are faced with various challenges, such as low
funding, larger teacher-to-student ratios, and a lack of teachers with experience. These factors
also play a role in preparing students for assessments. There is a limit in material that can be
purchased and staff to use in these positions that would assist scholars with growing and
learning due to low funding. Research has been done and studies concluded that most states
use assessments, and they “lead not to equitable educational possibilities for youth, but to
avoidable losses of these students from our schools’ “(Rezai-Rashti & Lingard, 2020).
With the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and the Every Student
Succeeds Act (ESSA), standardized testing has taken on greater significance in determining
student achievement. The problem with these assessments is they are intended to provide a fair
and equitable assessment opportunity, but take little into account the backgrounds and
IMPACT OF STANDARDIZED TESTING 3
resources of the students being assessed. Standardized testing planning has to create and
provide resources that will reach different ethnic groups and make test items relatable to
students in minority and urban communities.
Steps Taken to Address the Problem
With every issue in the world, there is a positive and negative aspect to tackle.
Disproportionality is a big issue when it comes to standardized testing and the data that is
unaccounted for due to the financial burdens of minority students. A study in the state of
Florida was able to conclude that standardized testing as it relates to Florida that the results of
standardized assessments only focus on the high failure rates of minority students in urban
communities and how the results would push the student need for the school system and
remaining there to assist with the student population (Rury et al., 2022). Testing
accommodations and changes are being implemented to help scholars in an effort to combat
this, but the issue is that they mostly only impact scholars with impairments or health plans.
There is also a shift from focusing on standards-based assessments to including
socioemotional learning and assessments. This emphasizes student well-being and stress
management to assist them when taking standardized assessments. The hiring processes of
many urban and underfunded institutions are focusing on placing more educators in the
building that look like them. Hiring more black and minority teachers in the building because
data is proving that when given opportunities to work with black male teachers, black male
students’ test scores increase, and their disciplinary infraction percentages decrease
(Underwood et al., 2020). Many steps are being taken to improve the quality of assessments
and preparation for these standardized assessments to meet the needs of different
socioeconomic backgrounds in urban communities.
Biblical Worldview
The underfunded and the lesser privileged are the ones who deserve to receive the most
assistance. The Bible tells us that Jesus always showed compassion to the poor and compressed.
IMPACT OF STANDARDIZED TESTING 4
Not all students in urban area schools come from poor or unfortunate living circumstances, but
a large amount of those minority students do deal with these challenges. They are the ones who
need the most resources, assistance, practice, and rigor.
The disproportionality that is represented in the data makes it clear that more needs to
be done to promote equity when preparing material for study and preparation for assessments.
Jesus was always fair and the Lord wants us all to display fairness in all that we do. In Micah 6:8,
the Bible tells us that the “only thing that He requires of us is to be just, and to love, and
diligently practice kindness” (The Amplified Bible, 1983, Micah 6:8). Being just is ensuring that all
have the proper means to succeed by preparing them in ways that they will understand. Not
only for low-income minorities but for each scholar in their unique background and setting.
IMPACT OF STANDARDIZED TESTING 5
References
Eizadirad, A. (2020). External assessment as stereotyping: Experiences of racialized grade 3
children, parents and educators with standardized testing in elementary schools. Review
of
Education, Pedagogy, and Cultural Studies, 42(4), 277–295.
https://doi.org/10.1080/10714413.2020.1742531
Manns, A., Hamilton, E., Knows His Gun, K., & Gathercoal, K. (2021). Perceived stress and
nonverbal intellectual abilities are differentially related to academic success in Latinx and
European American rural elementary students. Contemporary School Psychology, 26(3),
368–375. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40688-020-00344-3
Renzulli, J. S. (2021). Assessment for learning: The missing element for identifying high potential
in low income and minority groups. Gifted Education International., 37(2), 199–
208. https://doi.org/10.1177/0261429421998304
Rezai-Rashti, G. M., & Lingard, B. (2020). Test-based accountability, Standardized Testing and
Minority/racialized students’ perspectives in Urban Schools in Canada and Australia.
Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 42(5), 716–731.
https://doi.org/10.1080/01596306.2020.1843112
Rury, J. L., Belew, R., & Hurst, J. (2022). The Origins of American Test-Based Educational
Accountability and Controversies About Its Impact, 1970–1983. Teachers College
Record /, 124(1), 143–163. https://doi.org/10.1177/01614681221086094
The Amplified Bible. (1983). . Zondervan Bible Publishers.
IMPACT OF STANDARDIZED TESTING 6
Underwood, K., Taylor, J., Smith, D., & Roberts, J. M. (2020). Exploring the career trajectories of
black male educators in P-12 education. Journal for Multicultural Education, 14(3/4), 255–
267. https://doi.org/10.1108/jme-02-2020-0012
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