Staff Editorial—WorkKeys Testing: Confused teachers, upset students

    WorkKeys: a test designed by the writers of the ACT, constructed to help those going directly into the workforce after high school find their skill level of basic work abilities. At Northwood, the WorkKeys test was taken by approximately 130 seniors who had completed a Career and Technical Education (CTE) career cluster. Although the test is designed to be a helpful push from high school into the workforce, many students found the test to be a burden rather than a benefit.

    In early December, an announcement was made reminding students that the WorkKeys test would take place the upcoming Tuesday. The announcement went on to list the consequences that would follow for the students who did not attend the testing day, including revoking parking passes and banning students from attending all extracurricular activities. Students were baffled; some were missing emails that were supposed to inform them of their responsibility to test, and the emails that were sent failed to mention that the test was not optional. With less than one week until the testing date, students were puzzled and still did not understand what was expected of them.

    When the testing day rolled around, many classes were missing a large majority of their students. Even students who did not take the WorkKeys test felt the repercussions brought by the testing. Classes were forced to come to a halt, which proved disadvantageous, especially nearing exam time. Students complained about how the curriculum of the classes didn’t match the test questions and how the test offered little variation from the ACT. The whole ordeal was a jumble of complex instructions and miscommunication; it wasn’t useful or relatable for many, and it affected students who didn’t even take the test. As students, we already test more than seems necessary, and adding another to the list isn’t favorable. Since the test was mandatory but deemed useless for many, the level of motivation to score well was dampened.

    Further, students questioned if the right people were being asked to take the test. Although the test is designed to measure one’s workforce readiness, students who were already accepted into college were required to take it, along with students who plan to enter the armed forces or have other plans that don’t involve entering the workforce immediately. Also, it seemed unfair to students who were planning to go into the workforce and wanted to take the test but did not have the career cluster requirements to do so.

    As students, we wonder what alternative testing conditions could be offered. It would be preferable to treat the test like the SAT, whereas it is not mandatory but highly recommended and advertised as profitable for our futures. The school could possibly hold the test on a school day during a less crucial time in the semester or offer more test day options when it is more practical for students to attend. The test should be publicized weeks or even months in advance using phone calls home, TV announcements, fliers, whatever it takes to get the word out without leaving students uninformed about the testing.