5-Year Olds Get Their Own Standardized Tests

Five-year olds are getting their own standardized tests, mandated in over 25 states, in a new Race to the Top requirement. (And a way to get federal dollars.)

 

What is a standardized test anyway? The basic definition for a standardized test is a test that administered and scored in a standardized way, commercially prepared to measure a student’s performance level as compared to others.

According to Reuters, in some cases, kindergarteners are given an hour-long multiple choice test while other tests are one-on-one with a teacher.

 

Education experts, parents, and teachers feel concerned about these tests for a number of reasons:

-       stressful for kids

-       too narrow of a view of a child’s ability

-       lack of a post-test to measure growth in some cases (FL & TX)

-       takes up too much valuable teaching and learning time

     

Those parents and testing proponents (politicians and test makers?) that are in favor of the test are so because:

-       they want their children in an academic kindergarten

-       it gives a way to evaluate the preschool programs

-       identifies students who are at risk

 

Unbelievably (or maybe not,) parents can buy a Kindergarten Test Study System! Seven sessions of 30 minutes each for $50. 

 

If you thought the government heard your complaints about over-testing, you would be wrong. Apparently, there can always be more tests.

 

Are you concerned? Comment here.