Pressure from grassroots activists and a bipartisan group of policymakers has forced President Trump and Education Secretary DeVos to allow states to suspend federal standardized exam requirements in the wake of the coronavirus. But to completely eliminate Spring 2020 testing, state leaders must
1) file formal requests with the U.S. Department of Education to be relieved of Every Student Succeeds Act testing mandates for this year, and
2) lift all requirements for state-required testing by legislative action to amend state laws or by executive order
The National Center for Fair & Open Testing
The National Center for Fair & Open Testing (FairTest) works to end the misuses and flaws of standardized testing and to ensure that evaluation of students, teachers and schools is fair, open, valid and educationally beneficial.
Spotlight
The number of states requiring high school graduation exams in language arts and math has declined rapidly over the past few years. Only eleven states have graduation tests in place for the high school class of 2020, down from a high of 27 that had or planned such tests. The current number is the lowest level since at least the mid-1990s.
See our updated fact sheet: Graduation Test Update: States That Recently Eliminated or Scaled Back High School Exit Exams
This is a record year for colleges and universities deciding that students can apply without submitting ACT or SAT standardized exam scores. Over the past twelve months, 47 schools have announced new test-optional admissions policies, according to the National Center for Fair & Open Testing (FairTest).
The test remains a clearer measure of family background than higher education readiness. Over 1,050 colleges, universities now do not require SAT or ACT scores.
“Beyond The GRE” Campaign And “GREXIT” Web List Seek To Downplay Tests In Graduate School Admissions
Scores from the Graduate Records Examinations (GRE) are not good predictors of success in many graduate school programs, according to leaders of an effort to reduce reliance on test results launched today.
The National Center for Fair & Open Testing (FairTest) has announced that assessment reform expert Akil Bello has joined the organization as Senior Director of Advocacy and Advancement. Bob Schaeffer, FairTest’s long-term Public Education Director, has become interim Executive Director
More than 1080 four-year colleges and universities do not use the SAT or ACT to admit substantial numbers of bachelor-degree applicants.