Testing versus teaching

Many years ago, before 1940, most states had students take a test when they finished the eighth grade.

If they passed the test, they could go on to high school. If not, they could keep trying to pass it until they were 16.

When they were 16, they were told to go get a job. I have copies of the test that was very difficult.

Looking recently at the percentage of students that graduated from college after four years it is very obvious that we possible have too many young people that are not college material.

Perhaps high schools should identify students as college ready or career ready.

There are a lot of jobs available that don’t require a college degree, and quite often illegal workers fill those jobs.

When high school students that are career level students are mixed in with college-level students, they are taking valuable time away from the college level young people.

We have entered a time when both college and high schools are giving grades that many educated people believe are misleading to students and their parents.

Are we taking up too much time on meaningless testing instead of teaching?

Gerald W. Ray, Spokane