Feeling "Depressed"

Raley was acting kind of strange toward the end of last week. Almost to the point of being sullen. Every request was met with a sigh or a groan. Several times he mouthed off to me or Jayme. It was just so unlike him!! I was beginning to wonder if he was starting some hormones and this would be what we were in for until he was 30. He didn't seem to have much of an appetite either. He kept saying, "I feel kind of strange." but when we asked him the standard (nauseous? sore throat? headache?) questions, everything was a "no." Finally on Sunday night, WAY past bedtime, he came back out to the living room and again said he felt "strange." This time when we asked him to elaborate he said, "Kind of, like, depressed." After assuring that he knew what that word meant, we exchanged worried glances and started questioning him about his feelings.
Us: "Are you being picked on at school or on the bus?"
Him: "No."
Us: "Is it because you got in trouble some this wekend?"
Him: "No."
Us: "Even though you and your brother didn't get your special prizes I bought because you were fighting in the truck?"
Him: "No."
Us: "Is it because you know the special prize is the next two Percy Jackson books and I said you have to finish the book you are raeding now before you can start them? And Daddy and I are reading them first?"
Him: "No."
At this point we were running out of ideas so Jayme took him back to our room and they talked for a good long while. Finally at almost 10 o'clock I had to go in and send him to bed. Jayme told me he was pretty sure that what was really going on was anxiety over the upcoming TAKS writing test. Raley said it wasn't that, but Jayme just had a feeling.
The next morning Jayme took the boys to school and when he got home he told me that Raley had finally admitted it was the test. THIS MAKES ME SO MAD!!!!!!! Let me explain:
These tests are taken by all students in Texas starting in 3rd grade. Last year Raley was nervous about them as well. The teachers tell the kids that if they don't pass these tests, they can't go on to the next grade. This is (I guess) supposed to make them try harder. Well, the kids that actually need to try harder, don't give a shit about the tests and the kids who don't need to try harder because they will do fine, like Raley, end up FREAKING OUT ABOUT NOT PASSING!!!
This year is the first time for a writing portion and it is going to be given tomorrow. He is so anxious about it that he can't eat or sleep well. He has made 100% on every!single!practice!test! I don't know what to do about this. We have told him that we only ever expect him to do his best. We don't demand perfection from him at all. We have no doubt he will pass the test. He told him to just take his time (they have all day at school and for those who don't finish by dismissal time, they are allowed an extra hour after school) and make sure he answers every question. When he is done, we told him to go back and check each answer again. That is what he did last year on both the reading and math portions. He finished them around 10 in the morning and then had nothing to do all day long. Oh, did I mention he got 100% on both of them?
I get so irritated with all the doom and gloom he tells us the teachers are saying about the tests. I know they are important and some of the kids need extra prodding and help to do their best, but the end result is my child is being adversely affected and I just can't stand it.
Hopefully tomorrow when he gets home and this first portion of the test is done and we go out to Dairy Queen for a celebratory treat, our Raley will be back; at least until right before the next portion.