Headline: CAASPP is an essential benchmark for students
Deck: The importance of this crucial standardized test
Byline: Saanvi Dasari, Staff Writer
As the annual California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) testing season approaches, the question arises: Is CAASSP testing an adequate measurement of educational aptitude in students? And what are the benefits of participating in standardized testing? Here are some reasons why these assessments have actually proven to be beneficial:
CAASSP tests were originally created to properly measure a child’s intelligence in various academic areas, from mathematics to essay writing. These tests are an excellent form of reflection that provides schools, parents and students insights into their educational progress. This highlights where a child may be falling behind, discovers troubled subjects and gives students the opportunity to receive the assistance they need to succeed. The opposite is also true, as it places an emphasis on specific areas students are thriving in.
Critical thinking and problem-solving are some of the important skills the exams tests, both crucial to both college and working life. While the questions students must answer are challenging, they are a vital aspect of student preparation.
Testing allows for a certain metric or standard of learning to be established, giving schools the chance to change and alter their curriculum for the better when necessary. By comparing results to other schools, the administration can see what material needs to be improved or updated, ultimately resulting in a stronger educational system.
Students also develop the ability to work under stressful, high-pressure situations, which are prevalent circumstances in our day-to-day lives as well, especially in later years when working professionally.
CAASPP testing is an excellent way for students to continue to thrive in their educational environment, providing the tools and resources they need to succeed.
Headline: CAASPP testing is harmful to students
Deck: An ineffective way to measure intelligence
Byline: Anahit Zubyan, Guest Writer
Oak Park High School juniors have a seemingly never-ending list of responsibilities that they must balance. From completing their extensive list of homework assignments, preparing for the upcoming college application season and studying for AP exams, they now have another thing added to their already overflowing plate: the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP).
A portion of information given on the CAASPP is content that some schools do not teach in their curriculum or is information only taught in Honors or AP classes. This makes it significantly more likely for CP students to do poorly on the exams, leading to the question: how can a test accurately measure a student’s academic performance if it contains material that is only taught to a portion of the student body?
CAASPP testing is also unsuccessful in representing the performance of students who have different learning styles or testing preferences. This can frustrate students as their results do not properly reflect their level of intelligence. This lack of consideration for the different learning styles that all students possess, such as visual, auditory, or kinesthetic leads to test results that do not accurately represent a student’s progress or the areas they help in, destroying the purpose of the test in the first place.
These tests also fail to test other aspects of a student’s intelligence, such as creativity or artistic ability. Many students struggle under the stressful testing conditions CAASPP tests create and while some can thrive under the pressure, many cannot, resulting in a harmful cycle of self-doubt and test scores that poorly reflect true ability.
Ultimately, a student’s intellectual ability can not solely be measured by a standardized test, as a variety of factors can impact a person’s performance on any given day. A student’s way of thinking can not be measured in one test, and there is no reason why it should be.
