Assessment in Standardized testing. Does a low score indicate low ability?

Standardized tests are administered in a consistent manner.  The purpose of standardized testing is to set benchmarks for assessing large groups of people.  For example the Regents examinations are a state wide standardized test given to New York students. “High school students in New York State take Regents Exams to assess their mastery of New York State Learning Standards.” (NYC Department of Education, 2016)   The Regents examinations are created by a “conference of selected New York teachers in each test's specific discipline who assemble a test map that highlights the skills and knowledge required from the specific discipline's learning standards.” (Dansville Central Schools, 2016) 

On a nationwide scale we have the Common Core State Standards Initiative.  I do not have experience in teaching math or English at a K-12 level, but I have heard both sides of this argument.  My understanding of the purpose of the common core standards addresses many issues.  The propagators of the Common Core want to raise the educational standards in Math and English nationwide.  They want to set definite standards and competencies for each grade level across the U.S.  Standardized testing would assess whether students achieved the set learning objectives.  There are many objections to the common core, including the federal “take over” of educational standards.  The objection that makes most sense to me is that education is not a one size fits all process.  Common Core does not take into account certain diversities.

Another comment is that standardized testing is used to weed out the “weaker” students as the candidates compete for admission in whatever the test is for.  An applicant may be a strong candidate for a position or enrollment, yet if the student does not score high on the standard exam they are denied entry.  As we learned in previous modules, low test scores may not indicate low ability in the subject area.  My favorite example is Albert Einstein scoring low on scholastic tests.  Those tests failed in assessing Einstein’s academic abilities.