While we're writing the analysis for our assessments and some of us are preparing our students for SOLs, let's reflect on how ridiculous standardized tests can be.
Essential schools aim for teaching students how to find out and critically evaluate the facts they need in a particular situation- the thoughtful habits of mind that are sometimes called the "higher literacies." Most standardized tests, critics say, lack the subtlety and sophistication needed to test such critical thinking skills.