[antonyt]

I've never understood the "teaching to the test" argument against these tests. Take a look at some of the math SAT sample questions: https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/digital-sat-samp...

How would you "teach to the test" for these in a way that looks different from just teaching arithmetic, algebra, trigonometry, etc?

[ryukoposting]

With standardized testing, you lose a lot of detail about how the student got to their answer. Nuance is lost. But yeah I agree, with math it seems like that isn't such a big problem compared to, say, reading or science.

It does create some perverse incentives, to be sure. "Test mills" are an ongoing issue, especially in urban areas, in both public and charter schools. Basically admin guts all liberal arts programs, theater, music, history, etc, institutes some draconian discipline system, and kids just do practice tests over and over until they graduate from high school. Great standardized test scores, and virtually zero practical value to be had from the education the kids received. I know someone who got a 30 on the ACT and didn't learn that Africa was a continent and not a country until 9th grade.

[indoordin0saur]

I agree that Goodhart's law doesn't really apply to well designed tests.