Education Essay

Curriculum is defined as â€Å"a program of courses to be taken in pursuit of a degree or other objective† (Harvey, 2004). Meanwhile, the tests may impact the local curriculum in such a way that it becomes â€Å"strengthened and enriched† (Seattle Public Schools, 2007). Let us take for instance, the â€Å"Washington Assessment of Student Learning†, which is actually a series of tests that assists ensure that student will grasp the â€Å"foundational skills and knowledge that educator, parents, nd community leaders say are important to their success in life† (Bergeson, n. d. ). Since the â€Å"Washington Assessment of Student Learning† helps determine the performance of each student, as well as, the school, this is then utilized to â€Å"improve teaching and to do a better job of meeting every student’s academic needs† (Bergeson, n. d. ). Another proof that tests impact on curriculum is the fact that the â€Å"Washington Assessment of Student Learning† is established â€Å"to create a set of common learning standards† (Bergeson, n. . ). This means that the test indeed helpful in the curriculum, for without the existence of common learning standards, nothing will be improved on the part of curriculum (Bergeson, n. d. ). Last but not least, if a certain student fails in the â€Å"Washington Assessment of Student Learning†, the performance of the student will be tackled with the teacher along with an authorized employee from the â€Å"Advanced Learning Office† (Bergeson, n. d. ). They will then try to come up with â€Å"an individualized action plan† which â€Å"outlines what interventions will be put into place and what types of assessments will be administered to monitor student academic growth† (Seattle Public Schools, 2007). This now serves as the individual curriculum of the student which may turn into the school’s curriculum if the students have the same case as the aforementioned (Seattle Public Schools, 2007). On a final note, as backed up in the aforementioned, tests then greatly impact local curriculum.