I’ve been arguing for years that parents have been hoodwinked into believing that standardized test results are relevant. They aren’t.  This article supports my opinion.Because I homeschool, people always ask whether my children have to take standardized test. They do in 3rd, 5th and 8th grade. They do very well and even though I know this has nothing to do with what they’re learning-truly-nothing. It always seems to reassure those people who really think I’m surely ruining my children by not sending them to the local public school (at least for now).

When is everyone going to realize that standardized tests are a business? Period. They are nothing but a measure of how well an industry has convinced a nation that test scores are relevant to a child’s intelligence or future success-which they aren’t. They also are a pretty accurate measure of how much a student has practiced taking any particular test. I scored respectably on the SAT’s way back when but I took it cold without ANY prep. I didn’t have the resources or the support. I barely got to the test and barely afforded the sitting fee. This is not to minimize anyone who scores well. I commend their dedication. The industry also has powerful lobbies and corporate influence. It’s the primary reason President George Dubya pushed “No Child Left Behind”-which has done more to discourage great teaching than any other factor in my view. That’s my 2 cents.