the various proficiency levels and how those numbers compared to all schools in New York, all local schools, and schools that have a similar socio-economic status.  We do not get to see the questions or answers.  When teachers assess their own students in class we learn from the student responses. Whether the answer comes from a test, homework, classwork or activity we can see how the child approached the question and the answer to determine what our students need to do to improve.  This is how educators improve instruction.  Much is made about data-driven instruction now-a-days, but the old-fashion daily assessing of students through regular classroom instruction provides the proper feedback for an educator to help their students. Harm to students An aspect of the harshness of this one-time test score is the penalty that can be placed on a child.  I have received emails recently from parents whose children have been devastated by the state assessment results.  One parent stated her child's middle school would limit her son's participation in band because he had to attend academic intervention because he scored below a three.  Her son excels at music and it is a very important part of his education and life.  Another parent recalled how her daughter missed the proficiency score by two points and feels like a failure.  In New York City, which requires students score at proficiency or above to move on to the next grade level, a large number of students were told that they had