Response to Kelya's Blog #5

In Kelya’s Blog #5, she shares that the standardized testing, Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test, should be re-evaluated. She shared a prime example of why changes should be made by giving sharing of a friend that moved to America from Russia her senior year. Despite the fact that she learned a new language in one year and was taking upper-level math classes, she was not “qualified” to graduate based on Texas Education Agency (TEA) standards. Not only do I agree with Kelya’s viewpoint about re-evaluating the standards but during their evaluation, the TAKS test should be discontinued all together. Not only do students have to pass the TAKS test, they are also still required to take “benchmark” tests throughout the year to see how they are progressing. It seems that school has changed from a pure learning environment, to an environment in which the curriculum is geared towards passing the TAKS tests. Whatever happened to learning your ABC’s, 1,2,3’s, shapes and colors in kindergarten. Now, in order for a child to halfway be successful, not only do they need to already know these basics, they better be able to read, write and comprehend the material. My mother retired as a high school counselor for Angleton ISD (outside of Houston). She used to say how said it was when students would come in to officially “drop out” because they were unable to pass the TAKS tests. When she’d inquire about what they planned to do, they’d say, “I don’t know but I know I can’t graduate so I’m withdrawing.” What kind of future will that child have? What will they be able to do without a high school diploma? As I shared in my blog, “Are all Texas students college bound?” explains further that all children are not college bound and are only interested in simply graduating. According to TEA, that will not be possible. Kelya is absolutely correct; the standardized testing should not only be re-evaluated but eliminated.