Don’t value what we measure; measure what we value

Our mainstream education systems are obsessed with measurement, but they measure the wrong things. Schools track test scores, attendance, and graduation rates as if these numbers define learning. They do not. The focus on high-stakes testing does not improve education; it distorts it. Students are taught to perform rather than to understand. Teachers are pressured to cover material instead of cultivating curiosity and creativity. Policymakers equate test results with progress while ignoring whether students can think critically, solve problems, or apply knowledge in real-world contexts.

From Manifesto 25:

Don’t value what we measure; measure what we value. Assessments should empower learners, not instill fear. The obsession with high-stakes testing abets anxiety and reduces education to rote memorization, sidelining critical thinking and problem-solving. The cult of high-stakes testing has become the misguided arbiters of success, spreading a harmful culture of comparison and underperformance anxiety worldwide. This fixation undermines genuine innovation, with promising ideas dismissed due to measurement concerns. Worse, schools produce leaders ill-equipped to interpret data critically. We must eliminate compulsory high-stakes testing and redirect resources toward initiatives that advance authentic learning and meaningful, multidimensional growth.

As recently noted, we cannot manage knowledge. High-stakes testing does not empower learners; it conditions them. It rewards rapid recall of data and information and penalizes deeper thinking and expressions of knowledge. It turns learning into performance, replacing exploration and growth with anxiety and fear. Tests measure compliance rather than capability, encouraging students to avoid challenges for fear of failure. Schools produce graduates adept at navigating standardized exams but who struggle with complex, unstructured problems that demand creativity and adaptability.

The testing industry perpetuates the myth that success can be quantified by a number. This has profound consequences. Ideas and skills that cannot be easily measured are dismissed or marginalized. Innovation suffers because it does not conform to established metrics. Schools emphasize measurable subjects at the expense of critical thinking, creative expression, and emotional intelligence. The outcome is a workforce proficient at following instructions with minimal competence to complete tasks but lacking the capacity to interpret data critically, question assumptions, or propose innovative solutions to solve challenges.

High-stakes testing does more than to distract from education; it reflects a well-intentioned but misguided attempt at accountability. Governments use standardized tests hoping to ensure that public resources are used wisely. Asking if tax money is spent effectively on education is reasonable and necessary. But tests measure only what is easily quantified and can be expressed on a report ledger, not what is meaningful or valuable. Policymakers understandably seek clear indicators of success, but standardized test scores offer only the illusion of clarity.

The problem arises when governments equate numerical results with genuine learning. Accountability becomes about achieving targets rather than nurturing creative thinkers, problem-solvers, and innovators. This approach unintentionally narrows curricula, pushing schools to focus solely on measurable outcomes. Subjects and skills not easily tested (e.g., creativity, collaboration, and adaptability) receive less emphasis, despite their importance for solving problems of the future.

True accountability should not focus on numbers alone but on whether students develop skills and mindsets needed to thrive beyond school. Education policies must evolve beyond simplistic metrics and toward comprehensive systems that recognize and reward the complexity of authentic learning. And this does not suggest abandoning assessment entirely; it means creating assessments aligned with genuine learning. Schools should assess students' capacity to analyze, synthesize, and apply knowledge. Performance-based assessments, where students demonstrate understanding through practical tasks, offer deeper insights into learning.

Portfolios, collected over time, illustrate genuine growth by highlighting students' evolving understanding and skills. A student's portfolio might include a science project demonstrating the gradual refinement of a hypothesis through experimentation and feedback. In creative writing, drafts and revisions document how students develop their ideas and expressive abilities over time. Similarly, portfolios in subjects like mathematics or technology might showcase ongoing projects, including challenges overcome, mistakes made, and innovative solutions generated through iterative problem-solving. These examples reveal deeper layers of learning, creativity, and innovation, which traditional tests cannot capture. Detailed narrative feedback from teachers provides constructive guidance that numeric scores cannot match.

Effective assessments must support learning rather than merely sorting and ranking students. Assessments should help students grow, providing insights into their strengths and areas for improvement. Peer reviews, collaborative projects, and self-reflective practices encourage ongoing engagement with content and continuous development. Education must move beyond numeric scores to foster active, reflective, and meaningful learning experiences.

Achieving this transformation requires prioritizing human development over compliance. Governments must redefine accountability to ensure schools cultivate lifelong learners rather than enforcing rigid benchmarks. Resources currently dedicated to testing and compliance should be redirected to develop assessment methods capturing the complexity and depth of human intelligence. Education must measure what truly matters: critical thinking, collaborative skills, creativity, and the capacity to contribute meaningfully to society. Only then can assessment be tooled to empower students and reflect authentic learning.

Read and sign Manifesto 25 at https://manifesto25.org