This article explores some of the many alternatives to standardized testing within the education system. Additionally, this research helps the reader understand what standardized exams are, why they are used, and how educators can use other assessment methods to "test" children/students' abilities throughout the school year. year. Some of these substitutions may include personal portfolios, developmental benchmarks, and a variety of analyzes of comprehension by recording different sessions. Additionally, this talk uses research from many different resources to support the importance, credibility, and objectivity of other assessment tools besides standardized tests. As you read this article, you will learn the pros and cons of implementing uniform assessments and why it is important for everyone's individual learning and development that standardized testing is no longer necessary. Alternatives to Standardized Testing There's nothing worse than asking students to summarize everything they know. , skills, thoughts, talents and abilities in a single multiple-choice test with one “correct” answer. That's why assessments need to encompass more ways to evaluate students than a paper-and-pencil strategy that doesn't take into account the diverse skills of each student. This is one of the many reasons why standardized testing is undoubtedly one of the most controversial topics in education today. That being said, there are alternatives to standardized testing that involve different opportunities, including portable portfolios, performance exams, exhibitions, and/or recorded sessions to better "test" a student's knowledge and abilities. What are standardized tests? “Standardized testing can be defined as any form of testing that (1) requires ...... middle of paper ......ild. (8th ed.). Boston, MA: S4Carlisle Publishing Services. O’Malley, K. (2103). Standardized testing: what is it and how does it work? Retrieved from http://researchnetwork.pearson.com/college-career-success/standardized-testing-what-is-it-and-how-does-it-workPeterson, B., and Neill, M. (2014). Alternatives to standardized testing. Rethinking schools. Retrieved from http://www.rethinkingschools.org/restrict.a sp?path=archive/13_03/assess.shtml Puckett, M., & Black, J. (2008). Meaningful assessments of young children. (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Standardized Testing. (2013). In The Glossary of Education Reform. Retrieved from http://edglossary.org/standardized-test/What's Wrong with Standardized Tests? (2012). Fairtest: The National Center for Fair and Open Testing. Retrieved from: http://www.fairtest.org/facts/whatwron.htm