Should Standardized Reading Tests Be Untimed?: Untimed Testing Conditions Can Benefit Most Students' Academic Performance on Standardized Reading Tests

Year after year I was placed in the lowest reading class because my scores were so low on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills. My grades in reading class were always A's, and I never struggled with the course work. My only problem was my vision. I required the use of corrective lenses. I could understand what I was reading, but because of vision problems I had a very low rate of reading. Ultimately I either did not finish the tests, or rushed through carelessly trying to finish, resulting in low scores. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of time limits versus untimed conditions on standardized reading tests on the achievement of 7th grade students with and without vision corrective lenses. Standardized tests for reading achievement have come under scrutiny over their validity for reporting reading ability accurately. Time limits affect reading performance for some students producing results that inaccurately portray their true reading abilities. The results of this study suggest that untimed conditions would benefit not only students with vision corrective lenses, but also students without corrective lenses.