Standardized testing and shadow education

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Standardized Test and Shadow Education
The standardized test has been the pillar of the education system for a considerable long period. The test measures the student’s progress with consideration of their education journey. It can be described to be an examination that is comprised of equal items that can be replicated all over a domain of students probably with brief multiple choice questions which can be cheaply and easily scored with the help of a machine (Zambeta & Asimina, n.p). It is argued that the standardized test is undermining the America’s ability of imagination, innovators, and critical thinkers by the teaching to test tactic. Shadow education has been given devotion in many households in East Asia. The tutoring participates in student’s performance; however, it exacerbates and maintains social inequalities that divert resources from other uses. Moreover, it contributes to ineffectiveness in the education system. The standardized tests influenced shadow education
Methodology
The district schools used are from (Michigan State). Moreover, the exam score used was the tenth-grade in the data set. The reason is that the tenth-grade exam score determines whether a student graduates from high school or not. The data spans from 2013 to 2014 school year to 2015 to 2016, a time frame that can encompass as many school districts as it can. Much of the information on the years before 2013 was not available as per the time and was collected from the (office of superintendent of public instruction: Washington State report card data files).

Many of the students were available for one interview that they answered well with some filling in relevant questionnaires.
Regression analysis uses the dependent variable as the test score for the school district. Tenth-grade students are required to pass four subjects. They include writing, mathematics, science and writing (Bhattacharyya, et al, 635). The beginning first independent variables are representing the broad idea of race. As for the regression, the variables are Asian, Black, American Indian, White, and Hispanic consecutively. The data for the variables is represented in percentage. The major purpose of the variables is to figure out the race with big impact on test performance. There is the expectation of negative correlation between the minority groups due to environmental, cultural, or structural uniqueness.
The next variable to be considered is the percentage figure of students reduced or free lunch program. The variable is going to be used as the proxy for poverty. Briefly, poverty is linked to mental and physical effect in terms of test scores (Wang, 30). A student that is lucky to come from well of families acquires much access to good resources with the comparison to a student from poor families. High-income students go to good schools, afford a decent meal and have better means to help them do their homework. Mentally, low-income students hear and learn less and slowly as their parents are working day and night. A situation that keeps low-income parents away from their children for most of the time.
Another variable is the teacher to student ratio. It indicates the number of students in a classroom per teacher. As students increase, the ratio is also expected to increase. It is generalized by consensus through teachers that small class sizes are best for students and teachers. Individuals that oppose class reduction acknowledge the importance of small classes; however, they analyze the cost of reducing the number of students per classroom that is outweighing benefits from smaller classes (Zambeta & Asimina, n.p). Even if amounts vary in size, smaller classes do not give any relevant impact on students test scores.
Many professional prefer experience when hiring new employees. The school districts are given no exception. There is no credible evidence in supporting the assumption that teachers who have more experience are of benefit to students. Every school year is different in their own right having distinct situations and kinds. What is determined to work in one year cannot be determined for another year.
Looking at the gender variable, it will be represented by the male percent in the school district. Females are stereotyped not to perform better than their counterparts because of their gender. However, the statement has support by the current job market that is male dominated. The gender variable will be used in examining if there is gender bias with consideration of test taking.
Special education is the manner that schools help students with special needs and differences. Such students need specific modification in the manner they are taught and how they learn (Gilliland, n.p). They may require a slower paced curriculum, a student per student help or some other acceptable adjustments. Despite the special education students learning differently as compared to other students, they are required to take the similar standardized test as the other regular students.
Finally, each school year will have a dummy variable with 2013 to 2014 being the base year. They will be in charge of any effect that has happened in years hard to quantify. A situation that happened in one year may not or may have happened in a different year.
Results
The major issue argued about by educators, parents, researchers and the government is whether the standardized exams work or do not work. Influences are ranging from physical, cultural and situational factors that affect the performance of students. From the research, standardized tests are observed to have the cultural bias against students from low income earning families. The students carry the cost of past inequities and past discrimination in the educational opportunities. However, given that education can be made free do not mean that all students are to succeed or that every school is created equal. The poverty levels tend to show why students from high-income families are likely to perform better as compared to the low-income students since they have limited educational chances and opportunities (Ebrahim, n.p). The size of the class has been an issue often from teachers. A decrease in class size leads to an increase in test scores. A class is taken to be of success when students are between 20 and 30 but with more advantages when the class size is comprised of less than students. The teacher experience is assumed to have the effect on test scores as those with more experience tend understand what works and what not. Possibilities are, a teacher with much experience will get to students doing poorly in school as compared to those who behaved. It leaves the notion of such teachers not increasing students test scores but decreasing it. Males are better in mathematics as compared to females because of the developed spatial skills that give them the advantage. Every student is composed well when the test begins but problems arise when the paper gets tough and frustrations take control. It leads students to less concentration that results in poor scores. Despite students with special needs to receive some learning benefits over time, they still pale test scores as compared to the rest. When analyzing the standardized exam, there are situational, cultural and physical factors that have an effect on the students’ performance score on the standardized test. The factors range from poverty, teacher experience, ethnic background, and gender. The factors can have negative, positive or generally no effects on test scores (Bhattacharyya, et al, 635).
The advantages of standardized testing are observed in holding schools and teachers accountable. Standardized testing ensures the school and its teachers are responsible for their students and what they should know for the standardized exams. It is because the scores are publicized for the record and non-performing schools, and a teacher is brought under scrutiny. This is due to the increase in education and the advancement brought by globalization. Standardized tests give room for comparison due to the increased education in various districts, schools and states. For instance, all public schools in Michigan are expected to conduct the same standardized test to compare their performance (Chongjae, 220). The major reason for comparing common score state standards are adopted due to the invaluable comparison of data to bring an accurate comparison between states. Standardized testing has an established instructional and standard framework that provides teachers with the guidance of what is expected to be taught. Due to the aspect of globalization, the structure guides a sixth-grade teacher not to teach the same content with a third-grade teacher. It helps students that move to other schools not to be left behind due to the transferring process. Many students especially have ended up opting for shadow education.
However, the disadvantages are also observable as teachers use the style of teaching to test. It fosters an environment that does not have creativity and is full of boredom. Due to pressure on teachers on guiding students, they neglect teaching skills that are beyond tests. The standardized testing is only limited to evaluating an individual performance instead of looking at the overall growth. The adequate yearly progress only keeps focusing on the proficiency of a student at the time of testing. It could have been better if the student performance is evaluated based on growth on the basis of the entire course instead of simply a single test result.
Conclusion
Improving standardized test can bring a balanced assessment system that will be worthy for students. The system should allow for flexible, collaborative and alternative assessment processes between the local school district and states. School district should be allowed to assess with the reflection of local values in learning, for instance, portfolio and projects that are scored by teachers that need the students to document their growth over time and solve real problems on agreed upon standards. The state level assessment should be limited to three or four checkpoints instead of annual disruption. The use of locally developed and nationally norm assessments that are already in place to evaluate performance and achievement over the years without the implementation of state tests. The implementation of a computer adaptive state level assessment will measure the student’s accuracy in learning and delivering data within the required time.

Work Cited
Bhattacharyya, Sumita, Mary Junot, and Hillary Clark. “Can You Hear Us? Voices Raised Against Standardized Testing By Novice Teachers”. Creative Education 04.10 (2013): 633-639.
Chongjae Lee, and 이희숙. “An Analysis On International Tendency Of Shadow Education – Focusing On The Demand Mechanism Of Shadow Education -“. Asian Journal of Education 9.2 (2008): 203-228.
Ebrahim, Fawzy. “Advantages Of Standardized Testing.”. PsycCRITIQUES 50.26 (2005).
Gilliland, Betsy. “Review Of English Learners Left Behind: Standardized Testing As Language Policy”. Education Review // Reseñas Educativas (2015).
Office of Superintendent of public instruction: Washington State report card data files
Wang, Danhua. “What Can Standardized Reading Tests Tell Us? Question-Answer Relationships And Students’ Performance”. Journal of College Reading and Learning 36.2 (2006): 21-37.
Zambeta, Evie and Asimina Kolofousi. “Education And Social Solidarity In Times Of Crisis: The Case Of Voluntary Shadow Education In Greece”. Education Inquiry 5.0 (2014).