For several years before then, school districts used a patchwork of tests to track student performance. But it was California's abysmal performance on national tests in the mid-1990s that prompted the Golden State to revive its standardized testing program. The test features multiple-choice questions in reading, math and language in all grades, plus spelling in elementary grades and science and social studies in high school. Although there are no built-in consequences for students who fail the Stanford 9, the results can translate to cash rewards for schools that show dramatic improvement and sanctions for those that don't. What's more, scores are published in newspapers and can tarnish or boost a school's reputation.
Parents pay attention to the scores.
Although heavy emphasis is placed on a school's scores, educators caution parents against reading too much into their child's individual performance, because a child can make good marks in school but do poorly on the exam. Maybe the child had a headache that day, or maybe the child was distracted. I tell parents what I see in a child's everyday performance. Experts say report cards, portfolios, a collection of a student's work throughout a course or class year, and athletic or artistic talents also should be taken into consideration. Many parents and teachers believe too much emphasis is placed on test scores.