standardized test reflection

To most of us standardized tests are just the norm because we've been taking them since we were in elementary school. For many of the educators that teach these classes, their curriculum is designed to help their students pass the end of year tests. Then there is the SAT for high school students trying to get into college. This is when my inquiry group started to think how could we change the SAT to help students do better. We've decided that students should be more prepared and comfortable for the test, so they're not blindsided on test day. Throughout high school everyone is taught things to help them in life, so why not teach students how to study and prepare them for the SAT? SAT prep classes would help students be less intimidated when the time came for them to take the test. The discussion in class also got me thinking that standardized testing shouldn't be the deciding factor of a student passing of failing. Test can be good at seeing just where your class is in understanding the material, but not passing or failing a grade or course. Some students are not very good test takers and can become nervous in these situations. When pressure like passing or failing is added to the already nerve racking situation of taking a test, these students probably wouldn't do as good as they could, Even if they knew the material perfectly. So I  believe that standardized testing helps students to some extent, but so much weight shouldn't be put into them.