I Love Data, But K-12 Standardized Tests Have Lost the Plot

Abby McCloskey, Bloomberg Opinion, April 6, 2026

“Student test scores aren’t looking good, and schools aren’t being held accountable for poor results. That’s not even considering whether the right things are being tested.

I learned this the hard way. My family is zoned for a high-performing public elementary school in Texas — one where students consistently score above average on standardized tests. And there are so many tests. My first and third grader took about a dozen standardized exams annually, including STAAR tests, i-Ready tests and MAP tests. Each year, my children came home with great test results.”