That Testing Time of Year

 The sun is finally out in Washington State and the rain is subsiding for a bit.  As I walk to and from my portable, I notice the smiles on students faces, kids digging in the garden, and the excitement of spring ramping up.  It is the best time of year, but also stressful for students and teachers.  The SBAC is approaching fast and teachers and students alike are studying, planning, creating "boot camps" for review and mapping out the days and weeks ahead.

"What does that mean for SAGE and PEP?" the class I teach, you ask. Well, it means that we are also trying to ferociously wrap up units and review content before the tests hit.

When my students are testing, there are sometimes weeks where they miss instruction.  The tests matter when looking at class placement, as they are advised to take specific math or science courses depending on results.  They also can affect whether or not a student is allowed to sit for the CogAT test and appeal a result the following year.  The SBAC is used as a screener, and if students are not in the top 5% of the district scores, then they are not invited to test in October when referral season comes around.

Additionally, in the past, if a student showed that they were behind or struggling with content on a standardized test, then that individual was invited to attend summer school.  I do not believe that is the current practice within the district, but it was offered once upon a time.

The tests are long and tedious.  I remember watching my little eight and nine year old third graders writing five paragraph essays, typing away on the computer, honing their ideas, and trying to elaborate to the best of their ability.   They were tired and I was tired and everyone was exhausted at the end of the tests.  The days kept going and going and these little people had to be silent for so long.

Today not much has changed in that regard.  The kids get through it, and generally do fine.