By Jolene FarleyResults from the Minnesota 2004 Basic Skills Tests in reading and math were recently released. Reading and math tests were given to eighth-grade students in February. In Hills-Beaver Creek 84 percent of students passed reading, while 80 percent passed the math portion of the test."I think we had three students that missed passing by one point," Superintendent Dave Deragisch said at a Monday, April 12, School Board meeting.Statewide, 70.7 percent of students passed the math test and 81.1 percent passed the reading test. Minnesota public school students need to pass these tests and a Basic Standards Test in writing to meet state graduation requirements. At H-BC, 100 percent of the sophomores passed the writing portion of the test, compared to 91.4 percent statewide.Although local school officials think some testing is good, they wonder how much is too much."It’s really getting alarming when they (students) have their hand up in the air asking, ‘Do I need to pass this,’" Deragisch said at the April 12 School Board meeting. "I think we are going to see a point down the road of test burnout for kids," he said.H-BC Elementary Principal Todd Holthaus said, "Too often we look at the score and either live or die by that score."
