Other tests measure knowledge and skills acquired over time, perhaps even more than a year. Some tests compare students to each other, while others measure how well your children are mastering standards. These tests help teachers know what skills your child and the rest of the class have mastered and where they still need help. State and national tests provide information and accountability to the public. They also help teachers learn areas of strengths and weaknesses.
Tests are only one way to look at children's achievement.
A test is a snapshot in time, and children change from day to day, from month to month. Some children do better on tests than others. If your children come home with an unusually low score on a test, try to learn the source of the problem. It could be that they didn't understand the directions, or that your children were confused, tired or ill that day. If you don't understand the scoring of the test, ask the teacher to explain it.