Opinion

Schools Should Re-Think Standardized Testing

Tyanna Lamar
April 6, 2017

Standardized testing is many things but fun is not one of them.

Throughout the school year our teachers help us gain knowledge so that we’ll do well on our SOL. In order to do that they give students test and quizzes similar to the material on the SOL. It’s great that teachers and schools care, but by putting all this work on us it makes life so much more stressful. Maybe we could just have tests and quizzes and leave SOL’s in the past.

The pressure of standardized testing is too much for students. With extracurricular activities, jobs, homework, and life in general, it’s hard for students to study. I’m not saying that that’s an excuse to not study, but, honestly, who is going to study for a test that really isn’t beneficial for us students? It might show up on a couple of papers later on, but the real priorities are our grades because they follow us everywhere. By stressing ourselves out about an unnecessary test we’re wasting time that could go to doing work that will get us some recognition.

I’m sure that every student has been taking SOL’s since the third grade. Ever since then we students have been racking our brains every year just to pass. I thought in third grade it was hard to pass, but it’s even worse when the information we studied all year is irrelevant on the test.

We don’t have to stop all testing (even though that would be nice). Instead we could just cut down on the number of SOL’s. Or, if that’s not possible, we could just change it to make more sense and actually match the curriculum.

That’s all we’re asking.

Below are stories published in the April 7 Issue of The Roaring Gazette.

Meet the Candidates by Cassidy O’Neal

Ring Dance Glamorous and Unforgettable by Kaylyn Neves

Three Lunches Test Cafeteria Capacity by Elena Day

Student Art Wows at the MOCA by Ariana Hernandez

When Senioritis Gets Real by Kayla Smith

Passing Students Just to Pass Them: Why this is Harmful by Dave Nimer

Let’s Face it: Cursive is Dead by Amari McCoy

Schools Should Re-Think Standardized Testing by Tyanna Lamar

Immigration is Great, but the U.S. must Ensure it is Safe, Legal by Dylan Klepk

In a Digital World, Why do Teachers Make us Print? by Marissa Howell