A recent TIME Magazine article entitled  "Leaving Tests Behind" reported on the call to re-examine the use of standardized tests to account for the meeting of a national standard. The trend to use standardized tests to account for common benchmarks of student achievement and, of course, a way to hold all schools accountable has given rise to questions about the impact on children.  Legislating these standardized tests came from the belief that it would be beneficial if all children in the country were held to the same standards and, in turn, their schools would all be moving toward the same goals.  The intentions are not the problem but the tests have become the only important things. The impact of the testing environment on some children has raised questions.  Now arise the response backlash discussions about leaving tests and grading behind. Read more....