What are your experiences with the FCAT ?

[Progressivism]

I'm fourteen, and I moved to New York City relatively recently.(I'd say most people here have been here longer than me)

Anyway,I lived in Florida for Grades 2-8 and took the FCAT from Grades 3-8.I found it to be quite easy, but I heard of some not being able to graduate High School because of it.I'd like to read your experiences and see what you think.I personally think it, and the general system behind it, should, be atleast reformed.

Note :You can find released tests here

http://fcat.fldoe.org/fcatrelease.asp

[bluevoter4life]

1. The FCAT should be done away with

What ever happened to a teacher deciding whether or not a student advances to the next level? Now the students must pass a test in order to graduate high school? Some students are simply bad test takers and by them knowing that their future depends on them passing, that just adds undue stress and pressure. If a student cannot pass, he cannot graduate until he does. That can potentially lead to higher drop out rates. My experience with the FCAT wasn't very pleasant. Though I did pass, I did not feel it was a true measure of my abilities. The teachers were "teaching to the test" as opposed to teaching us what we really needed to know. Standardized testing is a great way of measuring the abilities of teachers and schools alike, but doing it where it could have an adverse affect on the student is, in my opinion, wrong. Some teachers do not now how to teach. Why should a student suffer because of that?