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How to Prepare Your Kids For Standardized Testing During an Unprecedented School Year

Standardized Testing

There's no denying that the 2020-2021 school year has been difficult for American families. Although 51 million school hours are lost each year due to dental-related illnesses, the pandemic has disrupted our conventional learning processes for the last 12 months in ways most of us could have never imagined. And whether your child is back in school, learning from home, or dealing with a hybrid model, things are about to get a lot more difficult for millions of kids. Despite outcry from educators and parents across the nation, President Biden has declared that standardized testing will be required for students this year.

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically altered our daily lives in countless ways. Already, 70% of business partnerships were failing, but the hardships associated with this health crisis have forced many businesses to close permanently and millions of workers to file for unemployment benefits. Of course, social activities and even life milestones were put on hold or canceled entirely, with some weddings, graduations, and birthdays taking place through virtual means. And, of course, America's students have had to grapple with what the pandemic means for how they learn.

Although some school districts have been able to reopen for in-person classes in some capacity, others have opted to continue with an online learning model in order to protect kids, teachers, and other staff members from the virus. While the average person makes a full recovery from the common cold within 10 days, we now know that symptoms of COVID-19 can linger for months, in some cases -- and that's for those who survive this highly infectious virus. And while it makes sense that schools would want to keep everyone as safe as possible, remote learning comes with a number of challenges. A lack of supervision, unreliable or unavailable internet access, inadequate study environments, and other barriers can keep millions of kids from being able to reach their full potential in online class.

In spite of those issues, however, the Biden administration has declared that annual state testing will need to resume this spring. The U.S. Department of Education waived federal testing requirements last year when the pandemic first started, but the agency has expressed there'll be no such luck for students this year. The Department of Education has noted that there will be some built-in flexibility this year to include testing delays and modifications or remote administration options, though there will be no invitation of widespread waivers to opt out of testing.

Teachers' unions have not supported the move, though a new survey suggests that approximately half of all parents want to know how the pandemic has impacted student learning -- data which could be gathered from standardized test-taking. In theory, standardized tests are actually supposed to identify the students with the greatest needs in order to divert resources to them. However, even when needs are identified, that doesn't always translate to an increase in funding for those districts. It isn't yet clear whether every state will require testing this year, as many organizations are circulating petitions to seek opt-out waivers. But it's prudent that parents, teachers, and students should proceed under the assumption that standardized testing will take place at some point before year's end.

With that in mind, how can parents help their children to prepare? Although teachers will likely be handling a lion's share of test preparation in class (whether remote or in-person), you can help your child by providing them with more individualized attention that they may not get in the classroom. This might include enrolling them in tutoring sessions in areas like math and English or having them meet with a therapist online if they're struggling with stress. You might also work with your child to develop some pre-testing meditation techniques if they stuffer from testing anxiety.

Experts also say that parents can help their kids by making sure they get a good night's sleep and eat a filling and nutritious meal before their test. After all, no one can think clearly when they're sleep-deprived or feeling hunger pangs. You should also be able to find practice tests online to get them used to the format of these tests. By preparing early, you can help to alleviate some of the panic they might feel on test day. If your child ends up taking their tests online, it's important that parents resist the urge to help their kids during the testing process. While it's unclear whether schools will allow online standardized testing, this is an important reminder for parents. Finally, enforcing good study habits and critical thinking skills can help your child during standardized testing.

Certainly, dealing with state and federal standardized tests in the midst of an ongoing pandemic isn't ideal for anyone. But until or unless we hear otherwise, we have to operate under the assumption that these tests are going to take place. Ultimately, the scores won't be a make-or-break for your child's future, so it's important to keep that in perspective. But in order to ensure your child feels as confident as possible going into this situation, you might want to consider the role you play in their preparation outside of the classroom.