ABSTRACT
Standardized tests are widely used in American education. During a routine year, local school districts often require students to take one standardized achievement test that the school will use for planning and another standardized achievement test dictated by the state to meet the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation. This chapter makes us to learn more about the general characteristics of standardized tests as well as the various types of standardized tests. It discusses what teachers and schools should look at when selecting which standardized test to use and how to use them well. The chapter explains the roles standardized tests have taken in the age of NCLB and other federal mandates. It also discusses that the standardized tests can benefit both schools and individual students if they are administered, interpreted, and used appropriately.
