Apparently, Illinois achievement tests in their high schools and middle schools were found to be inefficient by the No Child Left Behind Act. The School Boards agreed to "tweak" their tests, but this is coming too late. In a few weeks, junior students who attend public school will be forced to take the two day Prairie State Achievement Exam. Along with the other students, immigrants who have only been in the country for only a year will be forced to take this same exam. It is mentioned that this exam will test student skills in Trigonometry, Grammar, as well as vocabulary that would intimidate a native speaker. A measure to balance this disproportionate injustice, is that the immigrant students can take the test in smaller groups; will be allowed more time to finish; and may listen to cassette tapes that repeat the questions on the written exam.
I think that it should be optional for a one year immigrant student to take the Prairie State Achievement Exam. If they do well, it could, as Illinois state Superintendent stated, "Open a door", to colleges they wouldn't have attended. By next year, Illinois will have their exams in Spanish as well as English. But this doesn't cover the 54 other languages that need to be covered as mentioned by the assistant Superintendent, Ken Wallace.
If the test is deemed unacceptable by the No Child Left Behind Act, then it must seem even more pointless to force immigrant students to take the test -Why administer this test at all?State Officials state that their hands are tied, and they will be forced to administer the test to every student without exception.
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