TeachWonk's Diary: California's Annual Testing Lunacy

Another Brick...
Today we're scheduled to begin the annual administration of California's standardized tests, which are known as the S.T.A.R. assessments.

These state and federally-mandated examinations are supposed to measure pupil achievement for this entire academic year. My effectiveness as a classroom teacher is measured, in large part, by the students' scores.

The tests are set to be given over a two week period of time.

What has never been explained to me, or any other teacher I know, is why on earth the state government commands us to give these examinations when we still have 17% of the school year ahead of us?

Wouldn't it make more sense for us to give these tests during the last two weeks of school?

But I'm sure that our policy-setting edumasters don't care about my questions or opinions. After all, I'm just a teacher who works with kids every day.

The folks who get to make those types of administrative decisions usually have had little or no actual classroom experience and could care less about what those of us who do work with children think or believe.

The EduCrats are the self-proclaimed theoretical experts on everything education. Even though they'll loudly proclaim the opposite, most wouldn't go near a classroom and work with real kids on a bet.
------------------------------Contributions for this week's edition of The Carnival Of Education are due tonight. Get submission info here; see our latest education-related entries over there.