In today's education system, a student's intelligence is measured by their ability to understand and test mathematics, science, reading and writing . And in these results, show the “effectiveness” of teachers in each school. A standardized test is an exam administered and scored in a predetermined manner. The most common standardized test is the achievement test, which is used to measure the effectiveness of schools (Why standardized…). Tests like this do not take any external factors into consideration and do not cover all the courses that we, as students, are required to take throughout primary school and into higher education. Classes like history, art, and physical education are pushed aside and considered unimportant. Standardized tests, by their multiple choice and strictly obligatory nature, do not allow students to express themselves. Under the pressure of good test scores, subjects fall through the cracks and teachers begin teaching to test. If students perform poorly on tests, then that school risks losing funding, which could ultimately lead to a change in administration. In 2001, the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act was implemented, which set high standards and measurable goals and scores for all public education centers in America. This gave the federal government more power over what is taught and if schools fall behind, they can step in and pick up the slack. With NCLB now in play, teachers are now more focused on teaching what will be on the test, rather than teaching knowledge. This method of teaching to the test has had a huge impact on subjects such as art, history and physical education, which were considered less important by teachers. Educators now plan their programs based on the state...... middle of paper ...... and are responsible for the knowledge taught in their classrooms. The education of our nation's children is too important to be left in the dark. I recommend trying to assess students' knowledge with skills, such as their ability to write effective essays, their ability to use lessons from history and relate them to current events, and their ability to solve appropriate level math problems. Finally, in today's competitive society it is so easy to slip through the cracks and be turned away due to mistakes beyond our control. The prices of tuition and higher education have never been higher and universities are not accepting anyone from the streets. Prerequisites are required throughout our educational journey; these basic elements help us become well-rounded and well-informed citizens. And so are these basic elements, falling through the cracks.