Can you prepare your child for state standardized tests? Yes, with the following information.
If you are a parent reading this, close your eyes for a moment and think back to when you were in either elementary or middle school. Do you remember taking standardized tests? Some of you may have fond memories of proudly displaying what you knew on these exams, viewing it as an opportunity to demonstrate mastery, whispering to yourself, I got this. Others, perhaps, have drastically different memories! Fear, anxiety, or even nonchalance, depending on your approach to school, uttering something like, What a waste of time.
Standardized tests have been woven into the fabric of K-12 education for generations. And with end of the school year in sight, this year’s wave of tests is upon the students. Your children are probably feeling much like you did many years ago when you took the tests. Some may be excited. Others would rather saunter across the Sahara Desert sans sneakers with no water (and no Nintendo Switch). However they are feeling, parents hopefully want their child to do their best.
Perhaps you may be wondering: can a student prepare for standardized testing? More on that below.
Generally, state testing is designed to evaluate how well students are mastering state mandated curriculum standards, ensure school accountability for federal funding, and monitor student progress.
Unlike classroom grades, which can be subjective and affected by grade inflation, standardized tests provide a consistent, uniform benchmark of academic skills like reading, math, and science.
Discrepancies exist between the content on the standardized tests and what is being taught in the classroom. In theory, curriculum aligns with state standards, which aligns with the state test. In reality, teachers use lesson plans and materials that best meet the needs of the students in their respective classes. Sometimes these do not precisely match! Other times the pacing – outside of teachers’ control – does not allow for all students to master the concepts taught.
Given all this overwhelming information, what can be done to help your child succeed on these tests?
What do districts actually do with the testing information?
Standardized testing in the United States is a $1.7 billion business annually, according to Education Week. A significant portion of this money goes to vendor companies who develop and score these tests. With this insanely large amount of money invested in this realm, it is no wonder schools place so much emphasis on them!
Information from the tests can be used for:
Entry into next year’s classes Depending on results, a student may get the approval to take an AP class or an Honors class.
Patterns that need to be addressed Perhaps the majority of students consistently score low in one section on the test. Instructional approaches can be tweaked to better address the concerns.
Teacher evaluation Unfortunately, these tests can be used for part of teacher evaluation and even for bonus money earned.
Tightening the focus, here in the Sunshine State students take the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) based on Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (BEST), a progress monitoring system covering VPK through grade 10 in ELA and VPK through 8th grade in math, according to the Florida Department of Education.
Additionally there are End of Course Exams (EOC) in subjects like Algebra 1, Biology, and U.S History.
Private school K-12 students may take TerraNova or the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS). Certainly the private schools use the results in much the same way as public schools do, informing instructional practices and curriculum purchases.
What can affect performance?
Beyond instruction in the classroom, mental health concerns of the student, absenteeism, parent education level and occupation all play important roles in student performance on these tests.
According to a Harvard Graduate School of Education study, cortisol levels – the hormone associated with stress – increased during standardized testing in a group of charter school students. Higher stress equals lower performance. Complicating matters is students who come from environments with chronic high stress levels – low income, violence in the neighborhood- tend to score more poorly on these types of tests.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the time of day a student takes a standardized test can affect performance. One study found that first thing in the morning is optimal, and for every hour later in the day the test is administered, there is about 1% decrease in performance. The reason is chalked up to cognitive fatigue, or in plain terms, the brain – and the student housing it – get tired from a day of thinking and learning.
Parent attitudes towards standardized tests matter too. A student must strike the right, healthy balance when preparing for a test. Too much emphasis and cortisol levels rise. Not enough focus and perhaps a student does not take the test seriously. Parents need to encourage their child to simply try their best and to ensure they are well fed and well rested prior to the test day.
Do Opt-out groups still exist? Statistics are difficult to find, but with students leaving the public schools for other options such as private school or homeschooling, a fair question to ask is whether many of these families exiting the public schools were part of the opt-out group.
How to prepare for standardized tests
And now…the million (or is it billion) dollar question: Can you help your child prepare for a test that is supposed to cover the entire school year? Yes you can!
Familiarize themselves with the test format. Know all the different question formats. Some can be tricky, such as using drop-down menus (if taken online), how to access tools such as a calculator, and/or selecting more than one response in multi-select vs. multiple choice format! Take practice tests, which are available on the state’s website.
Know and use test-taking strategies. Know the amount of time allowed in each section and pace their way through it. Eliminate answer choices when possible.
Master test vocabulary. Each of these terms means a different thing: Analyze, synthesize, justify, identify.
Speak with your child’s teacher. Ask in what areas they may need more review and practice, then target those skills using teacher-suggested tools or even tutoring.
Develop a positive mindset. Standardized tests measure a moment in time, not your child’s worth or intelligence. Reinforce this at home!
Reduce anxiety. Teach your child simple relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises or visualizing success. As referenced above, too much cortisol and performance will suffer.
Final thoughts
Standardized tests are big business and certainly are not going away any time soon. Parents have probably burned into their memory their experience of sitting in a classroom, taking some version of these tests some 20 or 30 years ago. The tone and wording with which a parent shares these recollections with their child can affect the child’s performance on their standardized test. Knowing there are ramifications: entry into more rigorous classes and even teacher evaluation, parents ought to frame these tests as opportunities, not something to dread. Ensuring your child knows the format of the test and helping them build a positive attitude, will go a long way to promoting their success on the exam.
If you have questions about standardized testing or are concerned about how your child will perform on their exam, please contact Jennifer Disch at Engage the Brain to discover how a Learning Specialist could help your child develop the necessary skills to crush their state standardized test.