Ruining the Best

When I read "What the Data Won't Show," a blog post written by Susan Lazear, I was horrified. She starts to describe this striving student, Autumn. Autumn is very sweet, wants to become a nurse, but just can't pass a standardized test. She works with Autumn time after time, but Autumn continues to fail the test. Her score is consistently within 25 points of passing, yet she cannot break the passing score. She comes within one point of the passing score, yet she is not able to pass.

Autumn did get to walk with her graduating class, but she did not receive a diploma. This drives me insane! She was within ONE point of the passing score, yet this holds her from going to strive in her future. She is held down by this test, taking it over and over again. She even considers giving up to get a GED instead- because of this one test.

Anxiety sets into Autumn's system, she is put on medicine, and still cannot pass this test. We can obviously see what negative effects that these tests have on students. Why are we holding them back from having a successful future because of ONE point? Why are we destroying their personalities and giving them mental health issues because we test them over again until they pass? Can't we test for progress and not just one standard?

This system is frustrating and the consequences are very real for many students like Autumn. I guess my question is why can't we all decide together on a better testing system? They have no effect on the students' future... If a student cannot pass this test and wants to go into construction or become a personal trainer, what difference does it make? They are not going to use this in their lives... Sure, they need to know how to read and write and do basic skills, and show IMPROVEMENT. But one standard to set back all of these striving students...we might be hurting more than helping.

Here is a LINK to a small article about test anxiety... Which can be developed because of these tests, as we see in Autumn's case.