Laurel Leader Call -- Parents are vital in helping children prepare for tests

This was an article sent out to a local paper by the Mississippi State Schools Superintendent.

By Dr. Hank Bounds, State Schools Superintendent

— Parents want to see their children succeed in school and in life and most work very hard to help in whatever capacity they can. In fact, it is often the very simple things that make a profound difference.

Most people think that means helping a child with homework, projects and assignments by checking their work or calling out questions to them. While these are very important activities for parents and children to work on together, they are not the only ways that parents can help their children do well in school.

A good day at school begins the day and night before. Children need time for appropriate physical activity, like riding bikes and playing outdoors with friends, and time to complete their homework assignments without being rushed. They need a nutritious meal and a chance to sit down with parents and siblings and discuss their day. They also need an age-appropriate bedtime that is strictly enforced on school nights. Having a restful night with enough hours of sleep can mean the difference between an alert child who is ready to learn and a sleepy child that can not concentrate.

Children also need a nutritional breakfast in the morning so that hunger does not interfere with learning.These are good rules for any school night, but they are particularly important the night before a test. Whether it is a test in a child’s favorite subject or most challenging subject, being prepared is essential.

In addition to tests given to students to determine their grades, Mississippi students must also take the Mississippi Curriculum Tests, if they are in grades two through eight, or the Subject Area Tests, if they are in high school. Both of these tests are used to determine whether or not schools have met the requirements of state and federal standards, so these are considered high-stakes tests.

However, there is another standardized test that is very important, but is often overshadowed by the state-mandated tests. It is a national assessment that is administered every other year to students in fourth, eighth and 12th grades. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the best apples-to-apples comparison of how our students are performing in comparison with students from all other states. While NAEP is not tied to state and federal standards, policymakers and business leaders look carefully at a state’s performance and make judgments on how well the schools educate the children in a state.

If your child or any child you know is in the fourth, eighth or 12th grade, ask them if they are scheduled to take the NAEP exams. We know that Mississippi’s kids are just as bright as those from any other state and NAEP gives us the golden opportunity to prove it.Dr. Hank Bounds is Mississippi superintendent of education.
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