Are standardized tests effective?

Too many decisions rely on the outcome of standardized tests

Question: Are standardized tests effective?
Position‹2 of 2: Standardized tests are not effective
Argument‹2 of 2: Too many decisions rely on the outcome of standardized tests

From teacher tenure to student promotion to the next grade, way too much relies on only one form of national student assessment.

The argument

Standardized tests, especially in America, determine several factors in the education system. Teacher tenure, school evaluations, student promotion to the next grade level, and eligibility to graduate high school are all determined by standardized tests skills. Too much relies on the results of these tests. Punishing teachers because some of their students perform poorly on a standardized test is the equivalent of a coach punishing the entire athletics class for something one person does. Standardized tests aren't an accurate measure of intelligence/knowledge, so it makes no sense to base teacher tenure and evaluations on the results of these tests.

Premises

[P1]In America, standardized tests determine teacher tenure, school evaluations, student promotion, and graduation eligibility—far too much hinges on a single result. [P2] Because the tests are not an accurate measure of intelligence or knowledge, penalising teachers for some students' poor scores is unjust and illogical. [C] Therefore, because too many decisions rely on their outcome, standardized tests are not effective.

Counter-arguments

How else is the government, state and federal, supposed to be able to decide if a student is eligible to advance to the next grade or graduation? To evaluate teacher performance and adjust their tenure accordingly? Standardized tests offer the only source of objective measurement in order to make these decisions.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P5] Regardless of this, standardized tests are still the best way to compare students and teachers.