I don't mind state achivement tests, I think they can be a good tool to evaluate student learning.... My problem with state achivement tests is that they are usually the only tool used to evaluate students, teachers, schools, districts, etc... and in some cases a state standardized test is not appropriate for students to take. Example, do we really expect a student with severe special needs to perform exceptionally well on a standardized test? Probably not. However, that absolutely does not mean learning didn't take place during the school year nor does it mean the student has a bad teacher. There are so many factors that contribute to student growth and learning... Good diet, proper exercise, proper sleep, supportive and involved parents, students that do their homework everynight, reading at home, good teachers, good administrators, etc... these are all generalizations and of course I could be way more specific, but I think you get the idea. Therefore let us be intelligent about standardized testing and use them as only another tool rather than THE tool for student and teacher evaluation.
This is a great website my wife shared with me today: http://www.khanacademy.org/
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