Standardized testing: not the standard for all students

CFISD will administer the American College Testing (ACT) exam to all juniors on March 17 during school hours. The district will handle all costs and registration; however, not all students might want to take the ACT. Students should have the option to either sign up for or forgo this test just like other previously administered ACTs.

Many juniors have not taken the ACT yet. This scheduled test would serve as their first time experiencing the exam whether they have prepared or not. These students should have the opportunity to take the ACT at their own personal pace, once they feel comfortable with the process and know what their scores will mean for their futures.

On the other hand, some juniors have taken the ACT several times in the past two school years. The scheduled test could be tedious to students who have already invested that type of repetitive effort. These students should have the ability to decline taking this test, especially if they achieved the ACT score they wanted.

Other juniors might not even plan on going to college. That would make the test irrelevant to their futures. These students should have the freedom to pursue a different path in high school that corresponds with what they want out of high school, and for their lives.

The junior class, made up of 780 students, is a varied and unique group. They may not all feel prepared or inclined to take this ACT, and deserve the freedom of making the decision amongst themselves and their families.