Why do we take progress checks?

   Progress checks are meant to show the county that the teaching methods MCPS teachers use are working, yet half of the questions on the test are about stuff we still need to learn. 

    Let’s start with the English progress checks we have to take every year. In most parts, we have to read a passage and answer a few questions but in between those passages and questions, there are random questions such as the definition of a word that is written in a different language.

   The second part of the test is to write two or more essays about some of the passages we read. They ask questions like “what was the point/theme of the passage” or “what are some stylistic techniques that stood out to you” when most students in English have already written many essays on stylistic techniques. 

     Math progress checks are about the same things. Not only that, but MCPS is still giving us the same test they gave before COVID, from years ago.  Since COVID, the teachers are teaching slower to make sure students understand because we basically missed a year of math, so we’re technically not “on level.” 

   When it comes to taking progress checks, we still don’t know half of the questions and COVID really impacted teaching techniques and students’ learning methods, which leads me back to the same question I started with.

   Why are we taking progress checks that we don’t need?