Yes -- thinking of
Indiana, also! Hope everything is okay!
Harmony, I don't know exactly how similar different tests are in different states, but my hunch is that they are ALL somewhat similar, and somewhat driven by No Child Left Behind.
However, here, it seems we are putting much more emphasis on reading and mathematics, with less emphasis on composition. Our state graduation tests cover
5 areas, though -- reading, math, language (grammar), science, and social studies. Students take these tests for the first time in 10th grade, then (if they have not passed) again in 11th grade, and if they have still not passed, they get a chance to take them in the summer before 12th grade, PLUS THREE chances within the 12th grade school year. That means 3 weeks of their senior year can be devoted solely to testing, PLUS the "remediation" time given over to "reviewing" prior to the test.
Now, in all fairness, the great majority of students will pass at least some portions of the test early on, so by 12th grade we might have, for example, 15 students taking the social studies test on Monday, and 12 taking the language test on Tuesday, etc. Once a portion is passed, it does not have to be taken again -- each "subject" stands alone. I'd even go so far as to guess that the majority of our college-bound students pass all five areas during the 10th grade round of testing. However, here we are in the middle of May, and there are a few who will walk through graduation next week, but their diploma cover will be empty until they pass that test... and they will get to try again in June.
The point is, YES, you are sooo sooo right -- we are spending so much time teaching to the test that we don't really have time to cover the things that make a well-rounded, educated person. For example, there is nothing on the test about literature at all. Reading covers comprehension and basic literacy skills -- find the main idea, what literary device is used in this passage -- symbolism, figurative language, etc... But students are not required to have any sort of background knowledge of classic literature, etc., the things that EVERYONE used to just "know" by the time they graduated from high school.
And there are NO composition skills required, of course, b/c they cannot be tested in an ABCD format.
We DID have a state writing test that was given to 10th graders for several years, but for some reason, the state has dropped that.
So... as a result, we naturally spend less classroom time on literature & writing, and that is a very sad confession for this English teacher to make.
OTOH, I still refuse to throw
Romeo & Juliet to the winds, and during the last six weeks, I spent a great deal of time using it to impress on young minds the importance of thinking before we act, talking to our parents before we assume we know what they're going to say, and being patient enough to see if love will stand the test of time, among other life-lessons I believe hold true today, just as in Shakespeare's time.
I did not require my ninth graders to do a research paper... and I do feel bad about that.
I feel less bad about it when I look at how many times my class has been interrupted for this or that fundraiser-fun day- something or other during the last six weeks. 
Yes,
Cowinkie, have a wonderful, wonderful party, and congratulations on your retirement.
I
would sorta like to join you... but I think I'm just going to have to go through a year that has me pulled in ten different directions before I CAN accept my own retirement. I'll be watching you next year... in fear AND envy!
And he's upset and dh is upset because the employer is someone dh knows. 
