The SAT, the SBAC, the CAHSEE, and the CST:  students face a daunting alphabet soup of tests each year. These tests do help determine our progress, but too many of them are being slapped onto our schedules.

Each year, the list of tests students have to take changes, and this leads to us having to meet different graduation requirements from one year to the next. The tests aren’t seen as arduous by most students. But even if they aren’t arduous, they are tedious. For students who don’t have a first period, it might be a small struggle to wake up earlier than usual to report for a morning test. For all students, on the other hand, the tests delay starting time for classes.

Timing is also a major issue. Sometimes these tests are extremely close to each other, such as the CAHSEE and CST, which were about three weeks apart from each other, with the CAHSEE held on the 17th and 18th of March and the CST on the 7th of April. Additionally, since they usually take place towards the end of third quarter when workloads are massive, they can be more stressful than they should be.

These tests can also impact student learning. The CAHSEE, for example, leads  to shorter class periods and delayed starts. The SBAC, on the other hand, has students missing their second and third periods for four days, two for the math portion and two for the English portion, depending on their history teacher. Students who have to take these tests are at a disadvantage compared to others, as a result of missing class time to learn a particular subject matter and not having as clear of an idea as those who did not miss class that day.

The timing for these exams needs to be more considerate, and the standards have to stop changing constantly. The current standards are fine as they are, and we don’t need any more tests being added to our plates, nor do we need them to be more difficult.

Some students already have to worry about AP exams, thus making exams such as the CAHSEE simply obstacles. Additionally, incoming freshmen could have a more difficult time than upperclassmen if they have to adapt to more difficult standards.

These tests are important to prepare students for the future. However, if more exams show up, it could become nonsense and students will dread high school. Students are at a good position right now, and adding assessments will not make their lives easier in the slightest.