It’s tough to be a student in today’s public schools. Yes,
kids must deal with social pressures, bullying, and home problems as they try
to succeed in the classroom. However, what causes most consternation is the
never-ending string of tests that students must take during their years in
K-12.
Students
begin the test circuit as early as the third grade. From that point on, every
student in grades 3-8 is subjected to yearly T-CAP Achievement Tests. Long
before the exam is given, schools begin sending home “strategies” of taking the
test. Lots of sleep, exercise, and practice problems at home are suggested. In
the classroom, teachers pour on the practice tests to ensure that students are
familiar with the layout of the tests and the kinds of questions and problems
that make them up. By the time the test week is finished, school personnel,
parents and children are exhausted mentally, physically, and emotionally.
In the 5th,
8th, and 11th grades, students are given the TCAP Writing
Assessment. The youngest write a narrative (story); middle school students
write an expository (explanation) paper; the high school students write a
persuasive (argumentative) essay. The child is expected to write a completed rough draft within in a
limited time period, usually 20-30 minutes. Teachers are to have portfolios for
students with several “practice” essays of the appropriate kind for the grade.
During the
4th, 8th, and 12th grade, students are to take
the NAEP exam. This one measures student knowledge in math, reading, and
science. Again, teachers administer practice tests throughout the year to
prepare their students for the test that is to come.
Eighth
graders also take the Explore test. It’s the middle school version of the ACT
exam that is mandated by the state of Tennessee
for most students. Tested areas include math, English, reading, and science. As
sophomores, students take the PLAN test. You guessed right. It’s another exam
that tests the same four areas. During the junior year, students can take the
PSAT. It’s a practice test to get teens ready to take the SAT exam the
following year. Of course, the ACT has been added as a graduation requirement
for Tennessee
high school seniors. Vocational students can opt to take the WorkKeys exam
instead.
For high
school students, these tests are in addition to the EOC (End of Course) exams
that are administered during the last week of each semester.
By the time
a student exits the doors of public schools, he or she is exhausted from the
onslaught of exams that systems and states require. The bigger question is what
have students lost as the result of being constantly tested? Also, how valid
are the scores on some of the required exams?
The writing
assessments are serious for teachers, but not necessarily for kids. Teachers are
evaluated based on the success of their students. However, only marginal weight
is placed on the scores of the test, so many students simply don’t try to do
well. Besides, how realistic is it to expect students to write well in such a
short amount of time? On one occasion a student received a grade of 3, which
meant he needed remedial help in writing. The problem was that he failed to
complete the paper in the short time period. How valid was this grade? The same
student made a perfect score on the SAT, went to a prestigious college in the
northeast, and chose to become a teacher. All that, but he was a failure on the
TCAP Writing Assessment.
This idea
that all students must take the ACT is another ridiculous idea that only looks
good on a superintendent’s goals and objectives list. In reality, many students
who have no intentions of attending college put little or not effort into the
test. The scores are skewed as a result. Just like the EXPLORE and PLAN tests,
the ACT adds costs per each one taken to the school budget. In many cases, it’s
a waste of money that could be spent elsewhere.
The big
question is when will we allow kids to be kids? Don’t hand me the hogwash about
American students falling behind those in other countries. U.S. public
schools educate the masses. When we begin to restrict schools to the few
brightest kids as other countries do and then record their scores, America will
rank with the best. Our children’s education should include more than the
basics. It’s important to include art and music, and the classroom is the ideal
place for conversations and the sharing of ideas. Like the song by Billy Dean
says, “Let them be little ‘cause they’re only that way for awhile.” Let’s give
them a better education than one that revolves around tests.
