Mandatory State Academic testing is wrong for today's children. There are many reasons why I hate tests such as the OAAs and the PARCCs. Not only do I hate the fact that it causes stress for me, my classmates, and my teachers, but it also takes away from my actual school day. Testing makes kids feel very nervous, between the pressure put on us by administrators and the fact that we are told that grade advancement is based on tests. What happens when the day of the test happens to be a bad day for you? This last testing day, the night before our power went out, and there was a huge storm. So I had to take my OAAs on very little sleep. How is this fair? Grade retention and flunking can be emotionally and academically harmful, and it is often based on one day's work out of the whole year (fairtest.org).
Testing is also very expensive. It costs the schools and the state a lot of money. This money could be used towards activities, better school supplies, and building maintenance. According to ProCon.org all this testing has not improved student achievement. So why are the school boards and state board of education wasting money on something that is not working?
Finally, testing takes away from playtime and robs children of their childhood. Because of all the time spent in class and at home doing test prep, more hours are required after school for the actual learning. All that is being done is more and more work piled up with no actual reward in site. Children need time to play and relax, just as much as adults need time to unwind from work.
In conclusion, I feel that testings is bad for the children of the State of Ohio. It does not help us learn, just wants us to memorize short term facts. I strongly feel that testing should be repealed from Department of Education and State policy.
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