Missing the mark: Standardized testing as epistemological erasure in U.S. schooling

For the past century, standardized testing in the United States has been a measure of school success on both the individual and organizational level. A seemingly benign measure, such testing has informed the allocation of resources and placement of students in coursework commensurate with their perc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Power and education 2019-03, Vol.11 (1), p.111-120
Main Author: Cunningham, Jahneille
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accountability
Critical Theory
Educational History
Educational Legislation
Epistemology
Federal Legislation
Intelligence
Low Income Students
Minority Group Students
Race
Racial Bias
Social Bias
Social Systems
Standardized Tests
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Summary:For the past century, standardized testing in the United States has been a measure of school success on both the individual and organizational level. A seemingly benign measure, such testing has informed the allocation of resources and placement of students in coursework commensurate with their perceived abilities. However, I argue that standardized tests serve a more malicious function in schooling by systematically erasing epistemologies that differ from the dominant society. Tracing the history of U.S. standardized testing in the 20th century, I conclude that such tests have marginalized low-income students and students of color, and will continue to do so as long as they are heavily relied upon as measures of intelligence and success.
ISSN:1757-7438
1757-7438
DOI:10.1177/1757743818812093