Whether a school receives passing marks is determined by breaking down the results into specific categories such as ethnicity, English language learners and socioeconomic backgrounds. The most recent newcomer to the group is the Adequate Yearly Progress test, which is federally mandated under Title I. This is a federal act that seeks to improve the academic achievement of disadvantaged elementary and secondary aged children, under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

This is the first year the test has comparative numbers—2001­02 was the starting point— and many California schools are failing to meet its educational yard stick. In California, English language arts must reach 13.6 percent per category and math must meet 16 percent. And if a school fails to meet these percentages, which will increase annually, the school is penalized monetarily or in other ways such as permitting students to transfer to another school that has passing marks.

This week our newspapers reported on the AYP results in the local communities. It came as no surprise, after reviewing the data, that in many schools, where the population is diverse, English is not a student's native tongue and the students come from households identified as socioeconomic disadvantage, the school didn't make the grade. But should the entire school be given failing marks because one or two categories are struggling to meet the required percentages? This seems unfair, but schools have stepped up to the challenge by hiring instructors to help the students in these groups.

The AYP illustrates that standardized tests should be viewed with a wide lens not a microscope. These tests are a good benchmark in assisting schools and districts in focusing on specific areas of concern, but should not drag a school down. These tests can be opportunities to look deep into a school community and give educators a chance to make a concerted effort to adjust the curriculum where needed. But they should not be considered the cure to our educational problems, especially in a state that in 25 years has gone from the top of the educational ladder to below 40th nationwide.

As a state with the dubious honor of educating 1 in 10 of our nation's pupils, it will take much more than a series of standardized test to cure our academic ills, one of which is how much we expend per pupil. California hovers in the $6,000 range per pupil compared to states like New Jersey that spend more than $10,000 per pupil.

And beyond our funding woes, standardized tests should not become so integral to the educational process that it impedes a student or teacher's level of creativity. Students should be able to turn in a book report, write essay or thought-provoking argument and teachers should be able to assign the work. If educators feel boxed into curriculum developed around a scantron—multiple choice—then students will also suffer.

Education's primary focus should be on a child's total development of knowledge that includes memorizing multiplication tables and learning about world cultures. It's hard to image that any educator wants to base his or her curriculum solely on subject matter that enables a student to pass an exit exam, or a national progress report. But if schools find their hands tied by state and federally mandated programs that affect their bottom line, these schools will have no choice but to make standardized testing curriculum their primary educational objective. An obvious downfall as stats not students take center stage. Yet achieving educational balance may become difficult in the near future if standardized tests and their monetary rewards or penalties continue to drive statewide curriculum.

By 2014 all schools are required to reach 100 percent proficiency, as mandated under the No Child Left Behind Act. But these proficiency levels are determined by each state, so what makes the grade in California may be a failing mark in New Jersey. Our schools have 11 more years to bring our educational system back to the way it was more than two decades ago.

That's a pretty tall order. Can we successfully accomplish it? Maybe. But without greater flexibility in the standardized testing system, just making the numbers won't necessarily mean our students are making the grade.

Moryt Milo is the editor of The Willow Glen Resident. She can be contacted at 400.200.1051 or mmilo@svcn.com.