Preparing for The Mundane

All of the juniors at New Trier took the PSAE's a couple of weeks ago. This test included the ACT, and a section a little more unfamiliar to New Trier students. The "Reading for Information" test was the second part of the PSAE's, and focused on a much different set of skills than the ACT. Here is one of the sample questions the official website gives:

This was the format of most of the questions on this test as far as I can remember. What shocked me was that all of the questions were based on low-paying jobs which didn't require a college education. This was another reminder of the North Shore bubble that we live in; While New Trier students look forward to being doctors, lawyers, and scientists, most other students in Illinois are getting prepared by the state to feed into these menial jobs. 

If this test is being given to every kid in Illinois, and these tests dictate which schools get funding, then what does that say about our educational system? Instead of preparing its students for a path to success, Illinois uses this test to make sure that students are at least able to succeed at menial jobs. There can't be social mobility of our schools are already putting students into these scenarios.

 Do you think that these tests should be given to students, even if some high schools have low graduation and achievement rates? Is this test just a necessary bi product of under-performing schools?