Standardized testing
How does high-stakes testing impact students’ mental health and motivation?
A) It usually reduces anxiety and boosts motivation
B) It often increases anxiety and stress, lowering motivation and confidence
C) It has no real effect on students’ emotions or performance
D) It helps students stay calm and focused under pressure
Why might schools in wealthy areas often have more resources than schools in poor areas?
A) Wealthy schools just know how to save money better
B) Poor schools choose to spend less on purpose
C) Funding comes from local property taxes, which are higher in wealthier areas
D) Teachers in rich areas bring their own supplies
How might hunger or lack of sleep affect a student’s performance in class?
A) It helps students stay more alert and focused
B) It doesn’t really make a difference
C) It makes students more excited to learn
D) It leads to poor focus, irritability, and lower performance
Do standardized tests discourage creativity in favor of memorization and formulaic responses?
A) No, they make students more creative
B) Yes, they focus on memorization instead of creativity
C) They have nothing to do with creativity at all
D) They actually inspire art and imagination
How do you think lack of access to technology impacts student learning?
A) It causes students to fall behind in research, homework, and digital skills, widening the achievement gap
B) It doesn’t really affect learning much
C) It makes students more focused because they can’t use the internet
D) It only affects students who like video games
What are some challenges students in poverty might face before they even enter the classroom?
A) Having too many vacation options
B) Deciding which private tutor to hire
C) Unstable housing, hunger, lack of healthcare, or caring for siblings
D) Too many after-school clubs to choose from
Are we preparing students for tests or for life beyond school?
A) Mostly for performing well on standardized tests
B) Definitely for life skills and creative thinking
C) For fun and relaxation
D) For making TikToks in class
If schools have limited funds, what should be prioritized?
A) Teacher pay to attract and keep great teachers
B) Extra decorations for classrooms
C) More vending machines in the cafeteria
D) Longer summer vacations
In what ways do you think stress at home can show up in a student’s schoolwork or behavior?
A) It makes students more focused and calm
B) It doesn’t affect them at all
C) It only affects their grades, not behavior
D) It can cause acting out, withdrawal, trouble focusing, or tiredness in class
How do family and community expectations shape student performance and engagement with testing?
A) They encourage teachers to skip tests altogether
B) They often pressure teachers to “teach to the test” instead of using creative, culturally relevant lessons
C) They make teachers focus only on art and music
D) They have no influence on testing at all
Do you think it’s fair that property taxes are the main way schools are funded?
A) Yes, because every neighborhood has the same amount of money
B) No, it’s unfair since it creates inequalities kids don’t choose where they live
C) Yes, because schools shouldn’t need equal resources
D) No opinion, it doesn’t affect education at all
Do you think teachers should take students home lives into account when grading?
A) No, teachers should ignore anything outside school
B) Yes, because grades should reflect learning, not outside challenges
C) Only if the student asks nicely
D) Never, grades should be completely random
How do family and community expectations shape student performance and engagement with testing?
A) They have no effect on how students feel about testing
B) They always make students perform worse on tests
C) They only matter in math and reading subjects
D) Family pressure and community attitudes can either motivate or stress students
Imagine you’re in charge of school funding how would you make it more equal for all students?
A) Give every school the same money no matter what
B) Only fund schools in rich areas
C) Provide more funding and support to schools with higher needs
D) Let schools raise their own money through bake sales
What can schools realistically do to help students cope with the effects of poverty?
A) Ignore the problem and hope it goes away
B) Give more homework to keep students busy
C) Charge students for lunch to teach responsibility
D) Provide free meals, counseling, after-school programs, and supportive teachers