Rely to the below paragraphs and use 2 citations.

According to the American Psychological Association, the term assessment refers to a wide variety of tools designed to provide the practitioner with information about the participant(s)(Krach & Corcoran, 2023). As a former English teacher, I have much experience with different types of academic assessments. I believe the data extracted from these academic tests provides educators with valuable insight into their students' abilities. However, there are limitations to this information, especially when students experience testing fatigue. When students are over tested, their scores may be negatively impacted. This can affect the reliability of the results.

School counselors utilize assessments for purposes beyond just academic ability. I am currently serving as a first-year school counselor, and I am certain that assessments will benefit me and my students. Recently, I conducted a risk assessment to assess the safety of one of my students. It was eye-opening to review the information gathered from this tool. Together, with all key stakeholders involved, we were able to make an actionable plan to ensure the student's wellbeing. This is just one example of how beneficial assessments are in school counseling.

School-wide assessments can provide data to drive instruction in the classroom as well as create postsecondary plans. Standardized tests such as the Standards of Learning (SOL) tests indicate how well a student grasped the course material as well as how effectively the instructor taught the content. This information can assist school staff in creating school improvement plans and identifying professional learning opportunities. There are other assessments that I believe could be beneficial when provided to all students such as career assessments. Not all students are college bound, and that is perfectly acceptable! Nevertheless, all students should be considering what type of career field they are interested in and would be a good fit. I do not believe it is necessary for all students to take the SAT or ACT, especially when not all colleges require those exams for entrance.

I have had ample time to consider my opinion on the varying types of assessments that exist in education. Additionally, I have discussed the topic with my former students over the years. The theme that consistently came up was the distress and anxiety surrounding the amount of testing students are subjected to each year. Students do not understand why they have to take so many exams and if they do not perform well, they fear repercussions. This can affect their overall interest in school and their academic performance. I am reminded of Job 7:17, "What is mankind that you make so much of them, that you give them so much attention, that you examine them every morning and test them every moment?"(1984). A former student once asked me, "How can we like school if all we do is take tests?" This was heartbreaking as a teacher because I wanted to foster their love for school, but I was required to administer the assessments as indicated by the county and state. Last year, I had to give 17 standardized tests to my students, and by the end of the school year, many students were not even attempting to answer correctly. If the purpose of an assessment is to gather important data on a student, how can that data be considered valid if the student did not give their effort? Overall, there are benefits and drawbacks to assessments in education. They should be used purposefully and produce reliable, valid data.