Years of research have shown that high-stakes standardized test scores may not be valid or reliable. That means that the tests don’t actually measure what they claim to. For example, math tests may include a lot of reading of word problems. Those word problems may not necessarily test a student’s ability to multiply. Instead, they test reading and problem-solving skills. English tests may not be reliable when for English Language Learners (ELL) students and those who don’t speak Standard English.