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LOOK BEYOND TEST SCORES TO FIND OUT
IF YOUR CHILD IS ON COURSE
By Dr. Raymond
Huntington
When your child has a stuffy nose and persistent
cough, chances are your doctor will use a
thermometer and stethoscope for a careful diagnosis
before determining how to treat the ailment.
You should review the results of your child’s next
“big test” in the very same way. Instead of simply
saying “congratulations” for a good grade or “study
harder” because of a bad one, look beyond the score
to identify specific learning problems, and take
positive steps to strengthen the skills and
knowledge that will help your child improve. This is
particularly important in today’s “high stakes”
academic environment, which is defined by specific
standards for what every child should achieve before
being promoted to the next grade. Here’s a simple
checklist to help you keep track.
Pay attention to statewide tests.
In the fall and spring of each school year, schools
across your state are required to give students
tests to measure proficiency in meeting standards
for what every child should know and learn in core
academic subjects. Public schools adopt such
standards in reading and math in grades three
through eight, which are formative years for
building basic skills that are crucial for higher
level learning. Most states, schools and school
systems also have rigorous subject matter standards
for higher grades. These standards are developed
largely by organizations dedicated to fostering
excellent teaching and learning, such as The
American Association for the Advancement of Science,
the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the
National Reading Association and the National
Council of Teachers of English.
Because these statewide tests measure student
performance toward these standards, it’s important
to pay close attention to the results. If your child
performed well on the test in the fall, you can be
reasonably assured that he or she has the academic
grounding to handle grade-level work throughout the
rest of the year. If not, you need to closely review
his or her performance on the test and identify and
address the problem areas immediately.
Maintain contact with teachers.
Once you become aware of the trouble spots that
signify that your child may not be performing at the
level that’s expected, set up a meeting with his or
her teacher to discuss how to bring skills up to
speed. If your child is struggling as a reader, for
example, the teacher should determine what types of
special assignments can build the skills needed to
keep pace. The same is true for mathematics,
history, social studies and virtually every other
subject. Teachers can likewise offer suggestions on
how to nurture and hone special aptitudes that may
qualify your child for accelerated learning
opportunities that can enhance preparation for
higher education.
Look at academic performance school-wide.
In addition to being useful barometers of individual
student success, tests given in the fall and spring
also impact the annual U.S. Department of Education
“report cards” that signify every school’s success
in maintaining and raising achievement among
students overall. As a parent, you should be
interested in this information, but you should also
be aware that lower rankings for a school as a whole
may not mean failure on behalf of all students. Many
schools are improving significantly, and many are
also going to great lengths to provide additional
help for students with special learning needs.
What’s most important is knowing that the school and
teachers are committed to seeing your child succeed.
Keep a constant vigil
While the statewide fall and spring tests represent
a good view of academic performance over the span of
the school year, the everyday tests given by your
child’s teachers are the best indicator of day to
day progress. Instead of simply cheering an “A” or a
“B” or threatening “no videogames for a week” for a
“D,” look carefully at the specific areas where your
child excelled or struggled. An excellent response
to an essay question, for example, could show a
special aptitude for writing, reading and debating
that could be nurtured with AP and honors classes.
Multiple errors on a math test could likewise call
for special help to master basic computation skills
before your child moves on to algebra and geometry.
Either way, it’s important to look beyond the grade
to diagnose the strengths and weaknesses that are
impacting your child’s achievement – and find the
right treatment for addressing them long before the
next big test comes around.
# # #
Dr. Raymond J. Huntington and Eileen Huntington are
co-founders of Huntington Learning Center, which has
been helping children succeed in school for more
than 26 years. For more information about
Huntington, call 1-800-CAN LEARN.
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