High School English Teachers' Perceptions Regarding Standardized Testing and College Readiness

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore English high school teachers’ perceptions regarding standardized testing and college readiness. This study provided a thorough investigation of the lived experiences and perceptions of English high school teachers’ ability to prepare students for standardized testing, and their ability to prepare students to be college ready. Purposeful sampling was used to select eight participants to participate in individual interviews. Five themes emerged from the data. Professional development for standardized testing and college readiness played an important role in how teachers prepare students for standardized testing while preparing them for college. Preparing students for standardized tests and college contributed to their comfort level. Student and teacher performance on standardized tests and in the classroom are directly impacted by how students perform on their tests. The curriculum used to teach students is all geared towards standardized testing. Lastly, teaching in the pandemic was a big concern for the participants as they will prepare students for standardized testing and college through virtual learning.