One of the biggest issues that standardized tests have come under fire for is how they coerce teachers into "teaching to the test," rather than focusing on classroom material and each student's individual learning progression. In an ideal world, the test would accurately reflect classroom material, but the standardized nature of the tests and the number of schools they need to serve makes that difficult. Many teachers complain they are unfairly evaluated by their students' scores on the TAKS tests and feel pressured into teaching to the test material at the expense of students' learning.
One of the benefits to statewide standardized testing is that it sets an academic standard that doesn't differentiate between schools. Standardized testing demands that middle and high schools live up to a state-determined academic standard and sets the bar at the same height for all Texas middle and high school students. Standardized test scores are also useful in that they help pinpoint which schools may need help they aren't getting to reach their students effectively.
Another criticism of the TAKS test is the narrowness of the material covered. Although the test covers the basics of standard Texas middle and high school curriculum material, it fails to test students on their problem-solving skills, ability to think creatively or utilize teamwork. Teachers have also complained about having to go back and reteach the tested subjects so their students have them fresh in their minds for the test, even if students have progressed beyond those subjects.
One of the other benefits to the TAKS test is the promotion of a uniform education statewide in middle and high school. By keeping the testing uniform, it encourages a strict adherence to the subjects which have been deemed appropriate by Texas curriculum. Ideally, this uniform education is designed to promote the highest possible standards of learning among students statewide, and adequately prepares students for entrance into higher learning institutions following high school.