In the state of Ohio, students are required to take end of course exams; passing these state tests is a requirement in order to earn a high school diploma. On the most recent school report card , Jonathan Alder scored a B in performance index.  According to the Ohio School Report Card website, “There are seven levels on the index and districts receive points for every student who takes a test. The higher the achievement level, the more points awarded in the district’s index.”  

Allison VanVlack, a sophomore at Jonathan Alder, believes that state tests are necessary. “[The state] want kids to be prepared and make sure they have things done right, and have the ability to complete tests and graduate high school.”

Geometry teacher Mr. Swineheart has a little different approach to the topic than Allison.  Mr. Swineheart says, “Some state tests are necessary, but there are way too many standardized tests now.” Instead, he says, “ [Ohio] needs to give several pathways for students unable to reach the testing scores. It does not help anybody if a student does not graduate high school.”

Mrs. Zimmerman, an English teacher at Jonathan Alder, has mixed feeling about state testing and how students take the tests,  “We do need to test in some ways, but standardized tests are not the best way,” she says. “[The state is] being too narrow in their expectation, some students would do better in a different approach.”

Another student  at Jonathan Alder, sophomore Jacob Layne, states that state tests, “ put pressure on students and they can’t focus.” Jacob does not believe in state testing and believes that the state of Ohio is asking a lot for graduation. Jacob says, “ It’s kind of difficult to pass all  classes needed to graduate.

Even though people have many different opinions on end of course exams, Jonathan Alder did relatively well; the school outscored the state in every subject. For example, Jonathan Alder scored a 86.6% on the algebra one test compared to the state which scored a 60.5%. English language arts was a score of 90.1%, 21.2% better than the state’s score.