Tests are not fun--but they're necessary.But in places like Colorado, Connecticut and New York, we're seeing a new and problematic movement within public education to convince parents to pull their children from participating in any standardized testing.They're opting out of the exams designed to measure how well our schools are teaching our children. Let's look at why some parents are opting out.The most common argument is that standardized testing takes too much classroom time away from instruction.Yes, in too many schools and in too many districts, there is an overemphasis on testing.As a parent, I understand that problem.My daughter came home from public school one day and said class was easy now that "the test" was over.And I thought, "What are we communicating to our kids if they think the test is the most important thing--and once it's over, learning ends?" Those test-crazed districts need to change.But a new study by Teach Plus, an organization that advocates for students in urban schools, found that on average, in grades three and seven, just 1.7 percent of classroom time is devoted to preparing for and taking standardized tests.That's not shocking at all.Most people spend a larger percentage of their waking day choosing an outfit to wear or watching TV. We also shouldn't accept the false argument that testing restricts educators too much, _ innovation  in the classroom or takes the joy out of teaching.That line of thought assumes that the test is the be-all and end-all--and if that's the perspective, the joy is already long gone.Teachers enter this profession because they care about kids, believe each one has the ability to succeed and want to teach far beyond minimum proficiency.The most valuable teachers are those who impart knowledge, not just information, and do so in a way that engages students and makes school interesting. "Okay," the opt-out crowd replies, "what about kids who are stressed out and suffering from anxiety because of standardized tests?" You know what? Life can be stressful; it can be challenging.The alternative is to hand out prizes just for participating, give out straight A's for fear of damaging a kid's ego--and continue to fall further and further behind as a country.I reject that mind-set . Rather than encouraging parents to opt out of testing, it would be much more productive for the leaders of this distracting movement to help improve the assessments.Make the exams more reflective of student learning.Ultimately, students and educators need test data--opting out does harm to both.And it risks endangering the progress that all of our children need. In the author's eyes, stress   _  .
can be got rid of easily should be treated objectively is more important than praise affects children's development