My district is starting our state testing next week. Now, I understand the thought behind state testing, I really do. The idea of it is to show if the students mastered the grade level standards for that specific grade level. The data from it can help teachers with the next school year.

However, what about the students who came, say to 5th grade, at a 2nd grade level? They may have had a great year, are now on a 4th grade level, but according to the state test, will perform inadequately. The state does not see that they have achieved two years of learning. Instead, they are viewed as a student who was not successful in 5th Grade.

Now let’s talk about the student who doesn’t have the most ideal home life. This student may have slept, well tried to sleep, on the couch because they don’t have a bed. This student may have had to witness their parents get into an argument. This student may have had to wonder if/when one of their parents was even coming home. This student may have had to take care of a younger sibling because their parent works the night shift. This is just the tip of the iceberg.

These students come in, exhausted, anxious, worried, etc, and then don’t perform well on their state test. The state doesn’t see that this student was successful because they managed to stay awake during the test. The state doesn’t see that this student was successful because they were finally able to open up about what was bothering them and received the emotional help they needed. Instead, they are viewed as a student who was not successful in the 5th grade.

Finally, let’s talk about the student who has extreme test anxiety. This student makes A’s and B’s all year and is at the top of the class. State testing comes and it causes so much anxiety that they are unable to perform to the best of their ability. The state doesn’t see that the student was successful because they were able to make it through the test without having a panic attack. The state doesn’t see that this student was successful because they were able to make it through the test without crying and needing additional breaks. Instead, they are viewed as a student who was not successful in the 5th grade.

Our students fight battles that we don’t know about every day. Their success cannot be measured by one test that is given 1-2 weeks at the end of the school year. I know that teachers know this. We see our students’ success stories every day.

My prayer with this, is that next year when your school’s grade is publicly released, the public knows that teachers are doing the best that they can. Our students are successful in SO MANY MORE ways than a paper test can show.

Pray for our students as they start state testing, and pray for your school’s faculty and staff as they continue to love and teach their students despite the scrutiny and stresses of state testing.