If you have a school-aged child (especially in grade 3 or higher), you no doubt have firsthand experience with the good, bad, and the ugly of state testing. In most states, students are tested in grades 3-8 annually, and then at least once in high school. In addition, many states require an additional test to qualify for high school graduation. The subject of testing has become a heavily debated topic in the realm of education, with supporters backing it as a valid method of accountability, and others arguing that it places too much emphasis on "teaching to the test" instead of teaching to help children actually acquire knowledge and skills for the long term. But when did we become a culture so focused on school testing? Believe it or not, it has its origins around the 1990s (just like us!) Check out this interesting article from TakePart.com for a little history lesson on the paradigm shift to test-centric schools. Whether you're for or against testing, it makes for an interesting read.