Testing May-hem spurs anxiety

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Dean Stewart

Focused on the gaining possession against Cocoa Beach, Christopher Johnson (11) prepares to run down the field with the ball.

You have the FSA ELA Reading Assessment on Wednesday and Thursday then the U.S. History EOC on Friday. This schedule is the reality for sophomore Sierra Vehec along with most of the sophomore class.

But why is it that students have all their testing packed into May this year? 

The Florida Legislature passed a bill last year that would push all standardized testing into the final month of school. This stresses many students out.

Freshman Luca Sullivan said that he would rather have it spread out as he thinks it puts too much pressure in the final month of the school year. He also said he didn’t like how it extended school out this year.

Where last year the school year had ended on May 23, this year ends on May 30, making a full week difference. However, this year students did receive more off-days which would regularly be days of the school week.

Sophomore Sierra Vehec said that while she has done enough standardized testing that it doesn’t stress her out anymore, she doesn’t see the point in cramming it to the back of the school year. 

Freshman Sophia Baily said she sees the last month of school as a month that shouldn’t be stress-filled.

She said that the testing only takes away from the celebratory feeling that should come in the final month of school prefacing the summer.

For this year, students must find a way to balance studying between EOCs, FSAs and AP Exams all into the month of May, no matter how stressful it may be.

By Dylan Maxik