Standardized tests are the same no matter who is taking them. They contain the same questions in the same format. This means a student in Phoenix takes the same AIMS test as a student in Flagstaff or Sedona. Most AIMS tests are multiple-choice which also makes them easy to score. A multiple-choice test has only one correct answer, which makes the test objective instead of basing the scoring on a teacher's opinion.
Because AIMS tests are the same regardless of who takes or administers them, they enable teachers and school officials to make comparisons between students and groups of students. Teachers can see if students in Phoenix score higher or lower than students in Flagstaff. They can also see if boys score higher than girls do on different parts of the test. This allows teachers, politicians and parents to rank districts, schools and even individual teachers based on how their students score.
Standardized testing is an economical way to quickly evaluate the skill levels of large groups of students. Unlike presentations or essay tests, standardized tests can be given and scored by almost anyone. A computer is used to score many standardized tests, which makes the process even faster and less expensive. A computer is also much less likely to make a scoring mistake than a person who may be grading 10 or even 100 identical tests.
Standardized tests can be used to assess an individual or group's progress over time. Students in Arizona take the AIMS test in the spring of each school year. This makes it simple to compare a student's test score from last year with a score from the current year. School districts and parents can also see if overall scores are generally increasing, decreasing or staying the same. This allows administrators to set measurable school or district-wide goals for improving scores.