If you ask an experienced educator -
What will this test tell you that you don't already know about this child academically?
Nearly every time they can already tell you what the results will be and that it won't reveal anything new.
We've been told that testing can tell us how well our schools are doing.
I don't agree with that. You will know if your child is at an amazing school. They will tell you about it in their enthusiasm for the day, their learning and in the connections that they make. You already know.
As a mom, I have a very intuitive, sensitive and intelligent child. With all the tests happening in her 4th grade classroom (led by amazing teachers), she is coming unhinged. She worries about not remembering information on a science test, and she especially worries that her teacher will be upset if she isn't perfect.
My thoughts? The majority of that information can be found with one Google search. Her intelligence lies in her ability to make connections, be creative and do something new.
She does have excellent test results, especially on end of year assessments like the Florida Standards Assessment, but I really don't care.
I don't post those results on Facebook. They won't make her more warm-hearted. They don't pave a true pathway of fulfillment, finding a calling and leading a hero's journey. They just don't matter.
Standardized testing narrows the curriculum, takes up lots of time, and it is expensive. Are we truly measuring the effectiveness of our schools and the intelligence of our children or are we funding big business? This is one more tenet of the industrial school model that is widely accepted, but doesn't quite measure up.
It's time to put learning first.
Learning > Education.