Standardized Tests

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Darlene Hofmeister INSYS 497 Cognitive
Flexibility Hypertext Assignment March 20,
2002 Activity for Title I Reading Students
Grades 3 - 5
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Standardized Tests
Every year, millions of school children are
faced with taking standardized tests in their
schools. Why are these tests given? Why do
school districts put so much importance on the
scores? Do the scores for these tests really
matter? This presentation will help you
see what different people or groups of people
think about students taking these tests.
To begin, click on each of the topics on the left
to see what each section will be about. You do
not have to go in order. Look at the headings
and the pictures. Decide what you will find out
when you read. Click on the Reading Activity
slide to see what you will be expected to do with
the information you read. Once you know
what you have to do, click on one of the
Perspective slides and begin reading.

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Students Perspective
Why do we have to take these dumb tests
anyway? I have worked hard all year long trying
to improve my reading. I have gone to Title I
every day since September. I know how to read a
lot more words than I could at the beginning of
the year. I can find the important information
in an article and understand what the whole
article is about. I can even highlight
information to find the correct answer to a
question. But then when I try one of
those tests, the words are so hard and I get all
confused and get lots wrong. Who cares if I
dont do well anyway? It doesnt count for a
grade on my report card. It wont make me flunk
the school year, so I cant see what difference
it makes.
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Parents Perspective
Every spring, my child has to take the
standardized test at school. I know that my
child is just as smart as the other kids in his
class. But, Im really nervous about his test
score. If he scores below 50, that means half
of the other kids in the United States did better
on the test than he did. Last year his score for
reading was 31. Im really upset because
another low score will show that my child isnt
as smart as I thought he was. Can you
imagine what the neighbors will say? George next
door is always bragging about how smart Sally is.
Hell be over here telling me Sallys score and
trying to get me to tell him what Freds score
was. What am I supposed to say? He wont let up
until I tell him. Then of course it will get all
over the neighborhood. But what can I do?
Should I punish him? Should I take away the
computer? Or should I blame his school? Should
I blame his teacher? Maybe he needs to be
tutored or should go to summer school. I just
have to see that his score gets better.
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Teachers Perspective
I am really torn. It is time for all of my
students to take the standardized test that the
school district requires. I know that I have
taught my students many strategies to improve
their reading. They have worked hard to
learn the skills that I have taught them. I do
understand why the kids are so upset about
having to take them. The words and some of the
questions are too hard!!! But then on the
other hand, I have seen the test score reports
that the school district gets. Every one of my
students is listed, so everybody knows what
scores my students got on the test. The
principal sees those scores. The curriculum
director sees those scores. The superintendent
sees those scores. Then the newspaper publishes
the school districts scores. (Of course
students names are not put in the paper!)
People start thinking, What are those
teachers doing anyway? Cant they even teach
those kids to read? I know the tests are
not going to go away. I guess all I can do is
teach the kids as much as possible and hope each
one of them will try his or her best!
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States Perspective
We, the state of Pennsylvania, must be sure
that every child is learning how to read and
write and how to do math. We have to be sure
that each school district is giving the students
the education they should have. By giving
standardized tests, we are able to compare how
well each school district is educating the
children of that district. If we didnt have the
test scores, how would be be able to tell if the
schools and teachers are doing their jobs?
The state of Pennsylvania gives a lot of tax
money to schools to make sure they can meet the
educational needs of the children. If one school
district doesnt have good scores, then maybe
well have to take over that school like we did
the Philadelphia schools. If those school
districts cant have high enough scores, then
well stop giving them state tax money. Then the
people living in that district will just have to
pay higher taxes to pay for the schools.
Beginning next year, we are also going to make
sure kids in the high school dont graduate
unless their scores are high enough. Well give
gold seals or stickers on kids diplomas too,
just to show which kids got higher scores! Then
people will start realizing just how important
these tests are!
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Conclusion
Standardized tests are here to stay, whether we
like them or not. Teachers must be prepared to
help their students succeed. Teachers must be
sure their students know that reading tests are
like the reading they do everyday and the same
skills and strategies are to be used. Students
must try their best and use the skills that they
have learned. Students must take the tests
seriously and think! Parents must make sure their
children get plenty of sleep each night before
the tests. Parents need to be sure their children
eat a good breakfast before going to school on
test days.
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Reading Activity
Before Reading How do you feel about taking
standardized tests? Write your answer in
the pre-reading section of the next page. After
Reading For each perspective, list reasons why
that person or group has the opinion they do.
Use the outline on the next page to record
information. HOW? Print all slides by
clicking on the File icon. Click on Print.
Under Print What select Handouts. Make sure
it says 6 per page. Click on OK. On the
printed copy, find phrases or sentences that tell
exact reasons why each person or group feels the
way they do. Highlight that information. Record
that information on the outline. Then write how
and why your ideas have changed.
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Response Outline
Pre-reading feelings _____________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_______________________________________
Student
Parent
_________________________________________ ________
_________________________________ ________________
_________________________
_________________________________________ ________
_________________________________ ________________
_________________________ ________________________
_________________________________________________
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_

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Response Outline
Teacher
State
__________________________________________ _______
___________________________________ ______________
____________________________ _____________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_______ Explain how your ideas have changed.
Why did your opinion change? _____________________
_________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
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