So often when we talk about standardized testing in public schools, we end up talking across one another. Us grown-ups remember the tests we took, either with the sensation of quivering goo inside or with cool confidence. Surely the tests of today are much the same. If the kids aren't passing them, then the teachers must suck.
In California, there are sample questions for every grade level available. You can work through these yourself and come to a conclusion about what is expected of kids - possibly your own kid - in California today. Too much? Too little? If you want to truly duplicate the experience, I suggest printing them out and working them. The samples have more questions than a student will experience, but as an adult, perhaps that evens the challenge a bit.
I thought it might be interesting to highlight and discuss some of the questions asked on the 5th grade science exam, in part because it's the first grade level where science is tested by the California STAR regimen, and in part because my own child will be expected to do this exam soon.