Discover the Top 5 Unexpected Fun Facts About Standardized Testing You Never Knew!

1. Ancient China Sets the Standard

Before they were delving into Confucius says, or busting brackets in ancient Asian March Madness: Chinese bureaucrats have been facing their own version of standardized testing since the Sui dynasty! The Imperial Examination, which began around 605 AD, tested candidates on writing, Chinese classics, and literary style, and was used to unify the empire through merit-based appointments. It lasted for nearly a thousand years until its abolishment in 1905, and has since influenced the development of modern civil service in countries like Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and the United Kingdom.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

2. From Oral to Written: US Testing Evolution

Before B-tests deemed you an A-student and algebra equaled angst, young lads faced oral exams with knotted stomachs and clammy hands: Standardized testing in the US switched from oral to written exams in 1845 upon Horace Mann's suggestion, and it wasn't until the 1900s that the first widely adopted tests emerged, shaping the future of college admissions for generations to come.
Source => daily.jstor.org

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3. SAT Creator's Disturbing Origins

Think of standardized tests as "No Child Left Untested" and the SAT as "Sorry, America's Tricked": Carl Brigham, the creator of the SAT, was an eugenicist who heavily influenced the eugenics movement and anti-immigration legislation in the US through his biased research.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

4. The Birth of the Multiple-Choice Question

Thought multiple-choice questions were a piece of cake? Well, try swallowing this historical slice of humble pie: The multiple-choice question was invented in the early 20th century by Frederick J. Kelly, as part of the Kansas Silent Reading Test, aiming to standardize testing and eliminate subjectivity.
Source => veritasjournal.org

5. Atlanta's Test-Score Racketeering Scandal

When Atlanta educators played musical chairs with standardized test answers, the tune ended with more than just a slap on the wrist: In 2015, 35 educators and the school superintendent were found guilty of racketeering after orchestrating a cheating scandal that involved changing students' answers on standardized tests.
Source => npr.org