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Testing, Testing

Listen to this Commentary!

By Diane Salazar

Now that the school year is almost over and we're beginning to take finals, I can't stop thinking about standardized testing and the trouble I had with it this year.

I'm a 16-year-old sophomore in all honors classes and with two advanced placement classes lined up for next year. I get practically all As in my courses, so therefore I can confidently say I am a good student. For some reason though, I have always had difficulty scoring above average on standardized tests. I never really thought anything of it, assuming that it didn't really have a large impact on me. That it was just the school district's need to give tests. Boy was I wrong.

Last year, coming in as a freshman, I was forced to indulge in a week of testing. No big deal, I thought. I popped out my number two pencils and calculator and worked for a couple hours each day. Easy stuff. A couple months later though, during the summer, I got my results in the mail. My scores were a few points below the national average in both English and math. I was surprised to also get a letter saying that because my test scores did not meet this so called national average then during my sophomore year I'd be required to take state mandated math and English courses. Nothing seemed to add up. I questioned how I could get low scores on subjects on standardized tests, yet get good grades in class and on report cards.

I cried for hours, consulted with friends, and listened to my mother make repeated calls to the school and leave numerous messages on practically every guidance counselor's machine. Remember, I only scored a few points below the national average. I didn't understand — all of this drama over a few points?

Taking these mandated classes meant I couldn't take an elective this year. This is especially annoying because the extra classes were basically reviews from middle school. I have always been in classes where the standards are set high and where the students are focused; I could see this obviously wasn't the case in the remedial classes. My GPA, previous grades and teacher recommendations were not considered when the state put me into these remedial classes.

Did anyone ask me if it could be that I have trouble taking standardized tests? A short class on test taking would be far more effective than an hour long class on elementary word problems.

I think how I perform in school is the most important thing. To learn and get a good education, to take tough classes, varied electives and independent study courses — that's what really matters.

I do all those things…and I do them well. On the other hand will I ever really need to know that "scimitar is to sword as greyhound is to dog" in the real world? I highly doubt it… I think standardized tests are overrated.

I'm Diane Salazar.

Host Back Announce: Diane Salazar comes to us from Youth Radio New Jersey, a collaboration between Columbia High School, WBGO FM, and Youth Radio in Berkeley, California.