What Your Child’s LEAP Score Does And Does Not Affect
LEAP testing is around the corner for most public school students in Louisiana. There is so much emphasis on standardized testing – so much pressure is placed on students to do their best. Of course, we, as parents, always want them to do their best. But is it really that serious? I’ll let you decide.
Here are a few things LEAP determines:
- It helps determine your student’s placement. LEAP scores are used to determine whether a student is eligible for honors courses, AP/DE courses, or enrichment courses.
- It will determine if your child needs extra support going into the next school year.
- It partly determines your teacher’s worth as a teacher. LEAP scores are used to give the teacher a score based on student scores. Teachers are judged based on this number along with other elements for the next school year.
- It, in turn, determines the school’s score. Schools are given a letter grade based on the individual teacher scores, which, as mentioned, are determined in part by LEAP scores.
These are some things LEAP does not determine:
- It does not determine your child’s intelligence. At all. Ever. There is a myriad of reasons your child may not score well or may score exceptionally well. It’s okay.
- It does not determine whether or not your student passes a grade level. LEAP was once high stakes, and it determined whether or not your student moved along to the next grade. This is no longer the case.
- It does not, and will not ever, determine your child’s worth. Your child is not a number. They are more than a test score. Your child may be beautifully gifted in art, music, socialization, or any number of things. LEAP does not change that. It never will.
Students need to know these things- things in both categories- before taking the test.
They should try their best for their wonderful teachers, but they should not be discouraged or nervous or anxious about it. I’ve seen far too many students make themselves sick over standardized testing. That makes me sad. This happens because schools put too much pressure on students for LEAP testing. But that’s a story for another day….
