Hamilton County parents question timing, representation of student performance on benchmark tests – WTVC

HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. — Benchmark tests in Hamilton County Schools happen three times throughout the school year to see how students are performing.

Some parents are concerned about these tests happening as students return to school from winter break.

One Hamilton County parent told us Friday that these tests are not a true representation of how the students perform.

“That test doesn’t always show you what the teachers see, and what the parents see from the classroom,” says Nikki Voiles.

Nikki Voiles is the a parent to two Hamilton County school students, Emmalynn and Mason.

She says going straight into testing after break might affect how some kids perform.

“We’ve been out of school since the Friday before Christmas. And I know that for my family, we have taken a break,” says Voiles. “I think that going straight into school and starting testing right out of the out of the gate is going to be kind of difficult for some, especially some of those younger grades.”

Hamilton County Schools says their benchmark tests help to ” assist teachers with planning strategies to prepare the students for the TCAP assessments in April and May.”

Hamilton County School board member Ben Connor says these tests can help show progress throughout the school year.

“What we want to do is we want to hold these benchmarks at levels and areas where we’re able to make small adjustments in small needs of growth, instead of large need of growth,” Connor says.

But for Voiles…

“I just think that we shouldn’t put too much weight on these tests. It is a benchmark. That’s why they’re called benchmarks. It shows you where they were and where they’ve come. But there once was a time where we trusted the teachers to know where our kids were and not a test.”

Connor’s advice to parents?

“Listen to the teachers for if there’s any study materials they may need,” Connor says.

Voiles also shared some motherly advice…

“Let your kids know to try their best to do their best and to try to exceed their expectations on that test, but to also know that their teachers know them best,” she says.