Scores on standardized tests should be used only as one measurement of children's learning and of the capabilities of schools and teachers, said Randy Hitz, dean of the College of Education at the University of Hawai'i.

An emphasis on testing has become the nationwide standard for schools and students under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Statewide student results for 2005 were released yesterday in Hawai'i.

But scores alone can't measure a child's attitude or excitement about learning, Hitz said. And he questioned whether standardized testing is fair to the school curriculum or to the children.

"I'm not against testing," he said, "but there are limitations to testing. We need to be very cautious about looking at any test scores even as the primary means of assessing children and schools.

"They're worth looking at, but we need to look at multiple factors and be careful about over-emphasizing a single test score.

"If we've done something in this assessment process that causes them to think they're inferior, or if you've made them afraid of science or turned them off to reading, what good is it?"

Experts caution that scores on standardized tests alone are not critical for individual students and a better indicator is the child's performance during the entire school year.

"We certainly don't rely on one single measure to make a medical diagnosis, and neither should we rely on a single measure to form an opinion about the quality of the school or the effectiveness of a teacher or a principal."

Hitz said he hopes that parents understand that students progress at their own speed, with some moving faster than others.

"With these standardized tests, there's only one right answer — and that's not the way life is." He said the emphasis needs to be on problem-solving, preparing students to be thinkers.

"What we need to be doing," he said, "is focusing more on the students' interest in learning and their ability and inclination to think creatively and solve problems."