Not just for colleges

A quick pop quiz: The University of Chicago surprised the education world when it decided to A) no longer require applicants to submit ACT or SAT scores; B) move to Indiana; C) stop admitting students from Canada; or D) issue each student a comfort pet.

Did you choose A? Good. In an effort to lower barriers to admission, U. of C. has become the first top-10 research university to make submitting standardized test scores optional.

Instead, the university says it will take a “holistic” approach to its admissions decisions, focusing more on students’ essays, transcripts, letters of recommendation, video introductions and other nontraditional materials.

But standardized tests matter for more than just college admissions.

SAT test scores are supposed to reflect students’ college readiness and their ability to meet academic standards in math, reading and writing.

It can be hard to tell when schools are failing students. Standardized tests—for all their flaws—offer a uniform measure of accountability. They’re useful to evaluate individual student growth, measure teacher performance, and marshal federal and state funds. When taken in consideration with school attendance, graduation rates, advanced course offerings and college enrollment numbers, test scores help paint a picture of the health of a school and its district.

Yes, there are problems with these tests. Those who have the money can game the system by paying for tutors or taking the test multiple times. That’s why colleges are moving away from the ACT and SAT as indicators of a student’s “fit.”

But these tests aren’t just for colleges. They’re yardsticks for parents, lawmakers and—most important—students.