More Learning, Less Testing

Perhaps one of the most frustrating and baffling aspects of today's high-stakes tests, apart from the quantity, is the design of the test. Of course, the actual tests are not available to us as parents. Why not? How can they possibly benefit us or our children if we can't see them, or see our child's responses? The number of dubious and suspicious Sample Test Materials that are circulating on the internet support the need for teacher, and ultimately, parental review.  Some of these materials are presented below. Many items are inappropriate to grade level, frequently require computer skills that are also inappropriate to grade level, and are often designed to trick students, many of whom struggle to understand the testing strategies of a timed, duplicitous test environment. 

 

Incidentally, there is a legal precedent, from the FCAT, for parents to demand test materials, and we believe that every parent whose child takes these tests should request to see them. Please feel free to submit your own Sample Materials.