Standardized Testing................. Are we doing this right?

This morning was the very first morning I sent my son to school and he would be testing on a standardized test for days. Luckily, he was super confident, happy, and ready to rock that test. (Which I know he did because he is as bright as the brightest bulb). However, as an educator I know testing to some degree is a necessary evil. You have to measure what was taught somehow... the question isn't should we test the kids. The question is how should we ASSESS the kids?  Teaching without testing is like driving without a speedometer. My argument lies where standardized tests are not progress monitoring. Teaches test thru the year giving formative assessments. A formative assessment INFORMS instruction. It gives us feedback if the students actually understood what was taught, and then we can go back to review and focus our efforts better. A standardized test is a summative assessment, it want to know what was learned in summary. These test essentially are less useful, because given a bad day, anxiety, nerves.... One cannot really measure what was taught in 10 months in 4 or 5 days... Broken down into 400 minutes or so of testing. I think truly it can't measure everything in a fair assessment. Moreover, in these education reform days.. these types of tests can damage a child or teacher's reputation!

Many districts use the information gathered on standardized tests to generate class lists, identify children in need of Basic Skills instruction, gifted and talented education, etc. Yes, in reality they use other means as well.... portfolios, teacher commentary, and student behavior.  I guess my thought lies in where do we "Allow" room for "differences" if we are all shooting for proficient and advanced proficient. What about little Jackie who is an English Language Learner? What about little Bobby who was born premature at 20 weeks?  What about little Ashley who has a hard time testing due to anxiety and nerves?  Seriously, these situations are becoming the norm and not the exception.

Standards Based Education has left little flexibility in the spectrum of developmental differences in children. The standards are based on the cognitive development of "typical" children. Your typical child will know and be able to do X,Y,Z at the end of Grade 1,2,3,4, and 5. That's how they are written and the literacy ones are based on the stages of literacy development. The question I pose is simple, is every 4 year old the same? Is every 21 year old driving? Sure, they CAN drive at 17. However, is every 21 year old a licensed driver? NO!  There are various factors that play into our individual differences, and these tests don't account for that.  Moreover, if a certain amount of kids don't pass schools, teachers, and admins can face backlash. Is this really the right way to Assess what was learned all year?

The irony I always found in standardized testing is that all year we are told as teachers to differentiate our lessons. This means to operate your classroom giving each child the "dose" of education that is right for them. Utilizing different processes or products to teach the same skill.  Then, at the end of the year the standardized test shows up and everyone gets the same test, and same amount of time to complete it. Standardized testing is the antithesis of differentiated instruction.  Somebody tell me I am crazy?? Does that seem logical?

So while I reflect on this experience of my "typical" kid who has all the right factors in his life to aid his development and cognition, many kids fall on the outside of those lines and have a tough time facing these tests and coming out on top.  When these students fail, we blame the teacher, the principal, and maybe the school. Which makes me think it cannot possibly be the fault of the administrators or the teachers, but rather its the flaws within the system and

 method of assessment. Why aren't we differentiating and customizing the tests and assessing them on their level within their capabilities?    

Are we doing this right?