<p>I grew up in Iowa. I felt like I received an excellent education. Now I am in Texas. Every time I turn around, all they care about is standardized testing. We did take the ITBS when I grew up, but it was not all we did. At the local schools here, they give practice tests all the time. By all the time, literally, one year, at one public school, they took 1-2 full days off each month from their schedules (it was high school) to spend the day testing, and then in the last month before the TAKs test, they took the entire month off to study for the TAKs tests. In addition to this, they took additional time in classes during the rest of the time to do practice mini tests. It was nuts.</p>
<p>The reason I was given by the school why kids cannot really go ahead of grade level is that they can only teach what is going to be on the state exams. So, for example, all 7th graders took general math and 8th graders took pre-algebra. Advanced kids could do algebra as early as 8th grade, but the school actually addressed during the orientation that they would still take time to do reviews and practice TAKs tests from that years exams. They claimed it was difficult for kids to go ahead of grade level because they might “forget” the material that would be on the test. SO…if they do average 8th grade level math in 7th grade, they feel that by the time they get to the 8th grade (when they would be taking 9th grade math) they might forget so much 7th grade math that they cannot pass the tests.</p>
<p>I think that is nuts. Teachers I know tell me they are constantly bombarded with testing and standardized regulations. I feel like educators are not left to educate, they are left to wade their way through excessive testing requirements and standardized curriculum requirements. There is no leeway for the advanced student, OR for the delayed student. There really is no room to actually teach or learn anymore really it seems. </p>
<p>Really, many areas did a fine job educating their students without the federal government stepping in and trying to micromanage each state.</p>