The Four Perfects and Standardized Testing: Taking Down the Testing Machine

It wasn’t supposed to happen, but there were four Perfects in the same school. A Perfect is an industry insider term for a customer that does not miss a single question on their yearly standardized tests. These particular customers are eleven-year-old students at Longshore Middle School. No one could have predicted their perfect scores before the results of their 6th grade tests were reported. Mr. Price, their principal, was the first one to grasp the reason for the Longshore Turnaround, a sudden and highly publicized increase in his school’s test scores. He understood it was caused by this brilliant quartet of students. Joe Meier, CEO of Universal Testing Solutions, also discovered their test results. The principal was thrilled; the CEO was terrified. As the Perfects move into their high school years, Mr. Smythson, their ambitious principal, exploits them to further his own career. Once their talents are fully exposed, they decide to take the testing into their own hands.