Testing a child's intelligence...

Is standardized testing really necessary? In my opinion I do not think that it is. Growing up in Louisiana where these tests meant pass or fail a grade was stressful. The teachers push practice test after practice test on students trying to prepare them for the "big" test, but all of the stress causes some high performing students to freeze up once they are in front of the test. Should a student who has done so well all school year really have to repeat a grade because he or she failed part of the standardized test? I think there should be other factors looked at in combination with that test. In my opinion in doesn't seem fair to hold a student back if everything throughtout the year looked good. This is some information that I found about the test here in Louisiana.

"A key component of Louisiana's Accountability System is its statewide testing program. Each year, students in grades 3-11 participate in state assessments. Each of the 30 state assessments is based on Grade-Level Expectations, which reflect the knowledge and skills students should have acquired at the time of testing. Students do not receive a pass or fail grade, but receive an achievement level score.
The five achievement levels a student can earn on the LEAP, iLEAP and GEE are

Advanced
A student at this level has demonstrated superior performance beyond the level of mastery.
Mastery
A student at this level has demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter and is well prepared for the next level of schooling.
Basic
A student at this level has demonstrated only the fundamental knowledge and skills needed for the next level of schooling.
Approaching Basic
A student at this level has only partially demonstrated the fundamental knowledge and skills needed for the next level of schooling.
Unsatisfactory
A student at this level has not demonstrated the fundamental knowledge and skills needed for the next level of schooling.

Students in 4th and 8th grade participate in the high stakes Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) test, which determines whether they will be required to attend summer school or be retained. The LEAP measures 4th and 8th grade students' knowledge and skills in English Language Arts, math, science and social studies, and students must score Basic or above in either English or math and Approaching Basic or above in the other subject on the LEAP to advance to the next grade. 4th graders have had to meet this requirement since 2004, while eighth-graders have had to meet this requirement since 2006.
Students in 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 7th grades take the state's iLEAP test, which is designed to measure student progress but does not determine whether they will be retained in their current grade. The iLEAP is referred to as an "integrated" LEAP because it combines a norm referenced test, which compares a student's test results to the performance of students in a national sample, with a criterion-referenced test, which reports student results in terms of the state's standards."

http://www.doe.state.la.gov/