Students of Struthers High School are finishing up their AIR tests after testing week from April 9th to April 16th.
Different grade levels in the high school are required to take different sets of state tests each year. After a long week, almost the entire school is completely finished with their tests. Most students have been preparing for their AIR tests for the past couple weeks in order to pass.
Sophomore, Natalie Adams, is confident she did well on her tests.
“I feel that my teachers prepared me for all the questions that I could see on the tests,” says Adams.
From the very beginning of the school year, up until AIR tests are completed, the required state tests–that students have been taking every year since the 2nd grade–is a topic that is heavily talked about. While AIR tests don’t go towards your quarter, final grade, or GPA, they are very important to be passed. With this, teachers take covering different subjects of the tests very seriously. This can bring a lot of pressure and anxiety on students as well as teachers.
Sophomore, Alyssa Emerson, believes that state tests can be very stressful.
“I believe it does bring a lot of stress, we are given the info that we must do good on each of them to meet the level that the state believes we should be at. Although it is just a test, some teachers take it to the max and make students prepare for weeks in advance which can bring a lot of stress,” says Emerson.
Oftentimes, state tests are exaggerated as a lot more stressful than need be. A passing score for an AIR test is a lot less than any normal grade, in which a passing grade is around 40%. When putting the test into this perspective, students seem to worry a lot less about taking the test.
Adams does not over-stress about taking her AIR tests.
“To pass the tests, you have to get an F, and most of the time I don’t get that on an AIR test,” says Adams.
