Grading Stanford 9 Tests

Re “State’s Standardized Test Spurs Scattered Backlash,” May 24: These tests might be valid if they covered material the students are studying.

My daughter is taking U.S. history. The Stanford 9 test for history asked questions on Chinese and European history, so it was testing on factoids that haven’t been covered in her classroom this year. The year before she had geometry; the math portion covered areas that she had not taken yet, such as trigonometry and calculus. It seems that if there are to be nationally standardized achievement tests, then all schools need to be teaching the same things at the same times to all students. Or the test needs to be specific as to what course the student is taking that year.

Ellen Davis

San Clemente