Growing up in Michigas we where rquired to take the MEAP test. The teachers drilled us over and over, I do not remeber how I did, But I know the standards for standerdized testing are different. In Georgia the children have to to take the CRT in 1, 3,and 5th grade. This test measure the students knowledge of skills and also measures if the school is meeting certain standards as far as taching There is so much pressure on thes kids and teachers to pass the test If a child does not pass the test, they have to go to summer shool and if they fail it again in the summer time, they have to repeat the current grade. I dont know if you guys know, but Georgia is under investigation for the teachers changing the scores on the test. I do not lik te standerdized testing apporoach. For instance, I am not a test taker, it seems like evry test I take, I do not do well, but I excell in the class work. I get real nervous and this may be the case for these other kids. If the schools do not meet a certain percentage of passsing scores, the school will loose money. There has to be a better way to asses our children and their skills.
In Jamaica, they have standerdized test as follows:
Designing, administering, placing and certifying students in the following examinations:
• Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT)
• Grade Nine Achievement Test (GNAT)
• Junior High School Certificate (JHSC)
• Secondary School Certificate (SSC)
• Jamaica School Certificate (JSC)
• Vocational School Leavers’ Examination (For Carron Hall, Elim and Knockalva).
2. Designing instruments to assist teachers to monitor student progress:
• Grade One Readiness Inventory
• Grade Three Diagnostic Test
• Literacy Test at Grade 4.
They use there assesmnet to see whaer each child stands, and if they are learning. If a child does not demonstrate good skills on the test , they do not hold the child back. As research shows many countries perform better on staderdized test then the children of the United States.
