Bid to Ease Testing in Lower Grades

1) http://smmercury.com/2013/07/29/bid-to-ease-testing-in-lower-grades-comes-with-caveat/ 

2) Category of problem: Education

3) Level of problem: State

4) The article concerns:  The act discussed in the article, concerns elementary and middle school students participating in state testing in the public school system the benefits and or disadvantages of these tests for the student, the teacher, and the school system.

5) How does it affect individuals/families?  The bill going into action by sep. 2015, reduces multiple testing throughout the year fro grades three through eight to an annual test given every other years and excluding some children from having to take the same test over and over again. It would affect the testing score of school districts and the learning processes of students, as well as the curriculum taught by teachers.

6) What are your views on the issue?  Coming from a small town that is centered around our school district, when any changes are made, the entire town is affected by it. HB866 requires states to test public school students in grades three through eight annually in reading and math, and at least once in science in both elementary and middle school. At the state level, Texas mandates additional exams in social studies and writing. The bill would allow students who excel on state reading and math exams in the third and fifth grades to skip exams in those subjects in the fourth, sixth and seventh grades. 

All students would be tested on math in the third and fifth grades; on reading in the third, fifth and eighth grades; on writing and science in the fifth and eighth grades; and on social studies in the eighth grade. Going through the Texas Public School System and taking all the tests from TAAS-TAKS, now STAR, I remember how every single thing we ever learned was centered around passing the TAKS, or scoring a 4, not truly being educated about the subjects and the World. Don't get me wrong, I did get a good education, but it all seemed to be a lot of pressure to do well for the sake of the scores for the school district itself, and its standings in comparison to other districts, which in tern puts a large amount of stress on the teachers. Both of my parents are teachers, and I have seen first hand how much pressure the teachers have on them to make sure their students succeed, at times have also seen my brothers and myself struggle with the system. 

I think that not having to take test, on top of test, on top of test, in one year, and just an annual test in each subject is a good idea to an extent, but I think that the concept of skipping testing every other year for certain students who scored high on previous years defeats the purpose. In my experience when I didn't have to take an exam were were all put in a room while everyone else tested where we would usually just watch a movie or some other useless thing. As much as I think that students will benefit from having an actual teacher and student relationship focused less on standardized testing, and more on actual fundamental material, I think that the plan to lighten the load while also rewarding high test scores with the opting out, it seems like a lose/lose situation to me, and doesn't seem very benificial.