How do you feel about standardized testing?
474870
I feel very suspicious about it. Everyone of my age can see that standards of education are lower than they were forty years ago: children can barely read, write or do arithmetic, let alone read a map, name a handful of British heroes or whistle a few bars of a piece of classical music. Yet the results of all the tests, from the ones that five year olds have to do right up to the A levels, go up and up and up,  rising relentlessly. I believe that the tests are falsified.
894728
One reason we need standardized tests is because in American high schools nearly everyone gets top marks - The average GPA for an American high school student is about a 3.4. And many schools have stopped ranking because they don't want to hurt the kids feelings or deal with the hassles that come from overbearing parents who don't like Junior's grades and are ready to complain anytime their little genius gets less than an A.  \n\nSo, how are the colleges supposed to tell whether a kid actually learned anything in high school. If there are 10,000 applicants for 1000 positions, how do you decide? No college decides on SATs alone, but if you have a kid who supposedly got all As and Bs and who then shows up with mediocre SAT scores, then that is a bad sign. And another sign is a kid who supposedly took AP courses, but never took any AP tests.\n\nAt some point you have to be able to say, this kid actually knows something, and can prove it on a straightforward set of questions about basic things that he should know. Getting mediocre SAT scores, and then graduating from a mediocre college with mediocre grades is very predictable. In general, people who are able to handle the immense workload at the top colleges had pretty high SATs... check the websites at the Ivies, Duke, Stanford, Chicago for the levels these smart, hardworking kids made in their SATs.
385704
No Child Left Behind requires that a lot of ridiculous standardized testing is done for every student every year.  The tests mean nothing to the students and they often just fill in the ovals and don't even read the questions, but then the government decides which schools are bad and which are good based on these tests.  Not everyone has to take the ASVAB's and ACT's, so they have to have some tests that ALL students are required to take.  You can thank our politicians for this.
1150781
I feel for people who have a "cheating" mindset.  They say their only goal is to pass and succeed.  Yet they do not realize that they can have no self-worth in the process, because their success depends on the talents and abilities of others.\n\nSecond, whether or not other people have cheated and appear to have been successful in the process is beside the point.  The question is whether I will stoop to their level, or whether I will have integrity.  "What do you expect me to do?"  Honesty is an option, because a grade of "A" means nothing if it was not earned.\n\nThe problem we are running into--the reason that so many states are finding problems with their education systems--where high school students graduate but cannot read or do basic mathematics--is because we are focused on passing and not learning.  And this is going to catch up with us.  For the individuals who cheat, they will ultimately cheat themselves out of success.  For us as a nation, we will find ourselves paying the consequences for this in the near future, I fear.\n\nThe gap between the "haves" and the "have nots" is widening.  There are fewer and fewer who are learning and applying themselves--and as that number continues to shrink, there will be no foundation left.  Those who "have not" understanding but have only focused on getting the passing grade are ultimately hurting us all.\n\nGeez, now you got me on my soap box!!!
447250
it puts too much emphasis on testing. we all know that all students are different and to develop standards and test them for students is way off base. bush and his administration has it all wrong when it comes to education.\n\nthe gates foundation approach of developing smaller schools so that teachers get to know their students if much better. if teachers know their students then they can teach them based on what they know about person.\n\nchildren are unique, indviduals and we should treat them as such. NCLB and its emphasis on standards and testing makes children seem like robots.
127563
How about getting rid of the TAKS(Texas Assesment of Knowledge & Skill).  My wife is a special ed teacher & way too many teachers are just teaching the test itself!
590172
Haha Yeah i know how you feel, i hated school so much. But don't worry it will soon all be over! Just think how good it will feel when it's the last day of school ever! (or you might be one of these people that by the time you get there, you will actually miss it!)
282490
Standardized Aptitude Test (SAT).
730071
our government has put the act test in place because our high school students at an all time dysfunctional state,they cheat.Now they have to stay prepared in each highschool grade.They can not slide through as the teachers use to pass them the next level& they didnot even know how to read.Now they just drop out if they can't make the grade.Alot of help for them if they inquire & ask.Can not get into collage if not pass. They may take more than once in their senior year if they fail.It asks questions in all english,math, science,Gov.The test cost money to take. Which I think is not fair.First test may be free but all other you pay for.I do not go to school but my granddaughter is a junior & wants to go to collage ,she tells me some about it.I am sure there are more ans. coming to help you piece it all together. Take care, kell65
18787
...Testing and grading people are the only quantative way  society measures people.    I personally disagree with society putting emphasis on grades in school or money when out in the workforce as the badges of success.    Neither of the tangibles are measures or formulas for HAPPINESS.  If you have bright happy youngsters you have done a great job.   School, grades,  work and the accumulation of money should be taught to your kids as if it is a "board game".  If you truly have bright happy kids they should be able to "play" and succeed at the game of "LIFE".  However if they fail to achieve the measures of society they should be urged to covet and nuture their intellectual curiosity while seeking what brings joy in their life and the lives of others.  Neither of these aspects of life are graded or measured by society and in the pursuit of such things are all their own rewards.
1174007
Absolutely, amen to you! I work in a profession where academic excellence is highly regarded and I have met some really outstanding students along the way, top grades the works ... \n\nThough when it comes to the practical side of things it's whole different ball game ... They don't have their exam paper to hide behind, it's the real deal and that's the biggest test, not the examinations ...
876613
You are posing timeless questions, the sort that have been asked in one way or another by every generation.  It is the way of the world and of life that the young are supposed to be idealistic and question what goes on around them and in their lives.  Continue to question.  You may not find all the answers, but you will learn a great deal along the way.\n\nSociety imposes certain ways and measures in order to evaluate progress.  Different societies do this in different ways.  Right now ours is focused very much on test scores, but all things in education are cyclical.  This trend has been here before, disappeared, and came back.  I believe these trends tend to run in about 30 year cycles, and you just happen to be in school during the "testing" trend.  Teenagers before you had to deal with other trends, as will those after you.  And in a generation or two the testing trend will come round again.\n\nDon't despair.  From what you have written, I think you are going places and will do well.\n\nHere is a piece of writing I have read often over the years when I feel a bit discouraged about things.  I hope you find it at least thought provoking.  Best of luck.
82905
In a perfect world, it would be nice to not have to rely on things such a standardized tests to measure the quality of education, but in a country with such a huge public school system, that is not really probable. I don't think standardized tests in themselves are a bad thing. I agree that there should be standards and checkpoints. It becomes a problem when teachers are forced to teach to these tests. The true goal of education is lost in trying to raise test-scores. This is even more true when the attainment of school-funding rides on these tests. No Child Left Behind is a disasterous plan. Even if its trickery works and some test scores are raised, are students actually learning more?\nTo completely abolish the use of standardized tests would mean a complete renovation of our public school system, and unfortunately, that is not going to happen.
304783
On the Praxis as with other standardized tests, you  get points for correct answers, so if you miss one or get one incorrect, it will not count against you.  Just answer as many as you can, you'd probably be better off just giving the answer you think might be correct, because then you might have a better chance at getting it correct than if you just left it blank.
455425
IMO, standardized testing has been mandated (No Child Left Behind) because cronies of Bush &Co own companies that produce, administer, and score standardized tests.
860191
These tests are designed to evaluate a student's strengths and weaknesses.  The results can then help the teachers do the correct planning and instruction for your daughter, and better address any issues she might have in specific areas.  Teachers will have better information about exactly what your daughter knows and does not know.  The results of these tests help teachers plan their instruction for all children.\n\nThese are standardized tests, so you will probably not be able to get a lot of specific information about them, but there are practice tests and parent preview tests at the link I have given.  I suspect you have to pay for them.\n\nOne of the best things you can do for your daughter is to help her be relaxed about the test.  Tell her that she is not expected to know all the answers on this test, and she is not expected to get everything correct.  It is ok if she isn't sure about some of the questions - that is what is expected.\n\nMost teachers try very hard to make sure the students are relaxed about these tests.  Children are encouraged to do their best.  \n\nI hope this information is of some help to you.  Best of luck to you and your daughter.
809555
I'd suggest you talk with your school counselor, who is likely in charge of administering standardized tests in your school.  The counselor can tell you which test(s) are required by the state and which others are common in schools in your state.\n\nThe other likely source would be the website of the state department of education.