Standardized Tests

I cringe when I hear the word: standardized testing. Although every school uses this form of assessing students on a broad range across the country, I think it is an unfair way to determine a child's academic ability. The most common standardized test is the TerraNova test which tests students on a variety of subjects. the test results are given to the school, school district, and parent/child. The test is based on a scale-percentile, which is divided into three (3) levels: above average (80 or higher), average (30-79), and below average (29 and below). Seriously, how can you say a student is average if they receive a score of 40 in math? A 40 on a classroom test is failing and on a report card would be a failing mark as well. This form of assessment is all over the place and very unreliable. Also, not all students are great test-takers and because of this standardized testing is useless. I know that these tests will continue to be used to assess the students in our schools and continue to be compared to other children across the country, but I do feel they should not be taken as serious as they are and not to make them so important where classes are stopped for a week, now that is silly!