The March Slice of Life Story Challenge is hosted by http://www.twowritingteachers.wordpress.com.
Standardized Testing
This was our second day of standardized testing at my school. Our ISTEP is a pain, a problem, a political issue for the history books. Literally. The test covers our new Indiana State Standards, since we dropped Common Core. No need for the PARCC, we have our own ISTEP, which is supposedly more rigorous and wonderful. That is, until we found out that it was going to take 6th graders around 10 hours to take (total time).
After our governor heard about the length of the test, he signed an executive order, shortening the test. So this week we are taking about 1/2 of the Applied Skills part of the test. Less time, less stress? Not really. Still a big deal.
The students were awesome today! They took their time, working diligently. I was proud of them. I hope their scores show great things come June! We will see!
Reading Teacher Writes 
March 4, 2015 at 5:43 PM
So many teachers are dealing with testing issues, especially as we’re entering ‘testing season’ in most states. I appreciate your sharing your thoughts, and hope that the pendulum starts swinging back to more authentic assessment in the next few years.
Janice Ewing
wp.me/p50VAU-bh
March 4, 2015 at 6:46 PM
Living the PARCC life now, so I totally relate.
March 4, 2015 at 7:38 PM
I am from Indiana too. Isn’t this a mess!! Our first day was today and we have a snow day tomorrow which was to be ELA, my subject! I just want to get it over with. Good luck with yours,
March 5, 2015 at 9:42 PM
Thanks! One good thing: the kids WANT to do well, and they seem to be taking their time, working hard, etc.
March 4, 2015 at 8:58 PM
Ugh. This is now our second week of slogging through testing at my school, between new PARCC tests for the freshmen and the old graduation tests for everyone else. Testing has now occupied my life for several weeks and my slices for 3 days in a row! I’m glad your students worked hard, and I’m jealous that you get results in June — we’ve been told that PARCC results won’t come until November!
March 5, 2015 at 9:42 PM
Well, I’m sure it will be delayed, with the snow days, and new test, etc.
March 4, 2015 at 10:29 PM
Holy moly!!! TEN HOURS?! I thought Texas was bad. We have had so many different tests and plans and curriculums it’s all a big mess. We have kids this week retaking the TAKS (which replaced TAAS) from their freshmanish years while the rest of the kids will be taking their STAAR later… maybe in April? One more time I am so thankful to teach an elective. I am so sorry “testing season” even exists.
I want to know why active teachers aren’t the ones making, or at least approving, the tests. They seem to be made by people who haven’t actually been in a classroom in years. The worst part is, even after taking the new and improved and more rigorous tests (my class field tested the TAKS), I still was not ready for the college format. And I definitely do not see a correlation to the real world.
March 5, 2015 at 9:41 PM
Well, one good thing: they did work hard and looked back and forth at the passages, and took their time to write, and wrote neatly, etc. They WANT to do well!