Let's test them until they yell uncle!

"During the month of September, your child will take standardized tests to evaluate their skills in reading and math. September 14th, the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIEBELS) will be administered to all K-5 students."

I got this memo on Friday, September 11th.

I was not asked if I would like my child to be part of the testing as a kindergartner. I was told he was going to be tested. I was given 3 days, over a weekend, to try to make a educated decision about this testing program. It was not stated that, of course, my child does not have to participate. I, of course, know this but many new parents may not. In fact, they do need your permission to test your child.

They are testing literacy before they can read? Testing math before kindergarten is 2 weeks old. They want to give a verbal test to my kid with Apraxia. Anyone want to guess how that will go?

No, I don't think kids need to be labeled and tracked at this young of an age whether they have special needs or not. No, I don't think a one-size-fits-all test should be the great determiner of my child's supposed intelligence. No, I don't want someone labeling my kid when he is 5 and having that determine how people feel and treat him down the road.

And, yes, I do think teachers can make their own assessments of an individual kid's strengths and weaknesses if allowed to do their jobs without being hassled by ding bat administrators to do standardized test all the time!

I informed them that Shea would not be participating.