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. To protect public school children, educators and their families, state leaders must now be pressed to:
1) Apply immediately for waivers of federal assessment mandates by filing a formal request with the U.S. Department of Education to be relieved of Every Student Succeeds Act testing obligations; AND
2) Cancel all requirements for state-required testing by legislative action or by executive order.
Administering any standardized exams in a climate dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic would be irresponsible from an educational, public health or equity perspective.
FairTest has compiled the following overview of state actions to shut down spring 2020 testing, updated through Tuesday morning, March 24. It includes policies from more than two thirds of the 50 states. Updates will be posted periodically under Spotlight at http://www.fairtest.org
National All States Can Cancel Standardized Tests This Year
https://chalkbeat.org/posts/us/2020/03/20/states-no-standardized-tests-this-year-trump-devos/
National Tested (or Not) by the Coronavirus
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/were-being-tested-by-the-coronavirus-in-many-ways–not-even-student-exams-are-immune/2020/03/18/3b118b30-685d-11ea-9923-57073adce27c_story.html
Alabama State Files for Testing Waiver
https://www.clantonadvertiser.com/2020/03/20/alabama-dept-of-education-applies-for-testing-waiver/
Arizona Bill Calls for Tests to Be Postponed or Cancelled, Depending on Schools Reopening
https://www.abc15.com/news/state/arizonas-schools-could-remain-closed-through-end-of-school-year
Arizona Maybe Coronavirus Will Finally Kill Teaching to the Test
https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/greg-moore/2020/03/19/coronavirus-kill-teaching-standardized-test-arizona-schools/2869500001/
Arkansas State Testing Called Off for all Students
https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2020/mar/21/year-end-testing-off-for-state-s-studen/?news-arkansas
California Governor Issues Executive Order Cancelling Standardized Testing
https://www.thecalifornian.com/story/news/2020/03/20/governor-newsom-issued-executive-order-cancel-statewide-testing/2883596001/
Colorado Tests Cancelled for 2020 Due to Coronavirus
https://www.coloradopolitics.com/news/chalkbeat-colorado-will-cancel-state-tests-in-light-of-coronavirus/article_ffa6331a-6876-11ea-be8a-3fc5e00f3b32.html
Connecticut State Seeks Federal Testing Waiver Suspending Annual Assessments
https://www.sheltonherald.com/news/article/State-seeks-waiver-suspending-annual-assessment-15143374.php
Florida All K-12 School Testing Scrapped for the Year
https://www.tampabay.com/news/health/2020/03/17/florida-scraps-testing-k-12-testing-students-to-stay-home-through-april-15-desantis-says/
Georgia State Suspends Year-End School Tests
https://www.ajc.com/blog/get-schooled/georgia-suspends-milestones-test-face-coronavirus-crisis/WUX77qSmkfn8Y8tb4njVgJ/
Indiana Governor Cancels All Standardized Tests for Academic Year
https://www.ibj.com/articles/indiana-orders-schools-closed-until-may-1-cancels-standardized-tests
Kentucky State Education Department Will Seek Testing Waiver
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/education/2020/03/20/coronavirus-kentucky-state-k-prep-testing-canceled-due-covid-19/5061343002/
Louisiana Feds Approve Testing Waiver Request
https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/coronavirus/article_3f48c24e-6b6f-11ea-a5fa-a3e85296b806.html
Louisiana Governor’s Proclamation Waives All Exams and Test-Based Consequences for 2020
http://www.louisianaweekly.com/governor-waives-leap-attendance-requirements-for-academic-year/
Maine Federal Testing Waiver Sought
https://mainedoenews.net/2020/03/16/federally-required-state-assessment-an-update/
Massachusetts Legislature Must Act to Waive State Testing Requirements
https://patch.com/massachusetts/tewksbury/coronavirus-ma-impact-mcas-sat-act-ap-other-tests
Massachusetts Grassroots Campaign to Cancel This Year’s Tests
https://actionnetwork.org/letters/suspend-mcas-2020-2/
Michigan No Students Will Have to Take State Assessments This Year
https://www.hollandsentinel.com/news/20200322/michigan-students-wont-have-to-take-m-step-other-assessments
Cancellation of Tests Allow Will Allow State to Defer Implementation of Third Grade Promotion Exam
https://chalkbeat.org/posts/detroit/2020/03/20/likely-cancellation-of-all-state-tests-would-allow-michigan-to-put-third-grade-reading-law-on-hold-for-a-year/
Mississippi State Department of Health Calls for Cancelling School Tests
https://www.wapt.com/article/proposal-suggest-to-suspend-all-state-and-federal-assessments/31694563
Missouri Commissioner Cancels All 2020 School Exams
https://dailyjournalonline.com/news/local/education/schools/no-map-tests-for-students-this-year/article_09d2f3e6-f309-569d-97be-44eb4eda0a1b.html
Montana Feds Asked to Waive All Testing Requirements
https://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/opi-seeking-waiver-for-all-school-testing/article_cb194186-00df-5a5b-bc62-350e404d0db1.html
Nevada Federal Testing Waiver Sought
https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/education/nevada-seeks-waiver-from-federal-student-testing-requirement-1987274/
New Jersey Will State Leaders Cancel Spring 2020 Testing?
https://www.nj.com/education/2020/03/should-nj-cancel-standardized-tests-because-of-the-coronavirus.html
New Jersey Why Scrapping Testing This Year Is a Good Idea
http://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2020/03/why-scrapping-school-testing-this-year.html
New York State Officials Left to Decide on High School Regents Exams
https://www.newsday.com/news/health/coronavirus/testing-on-long-island-1.43348076
New York Pressure Grows for Complete Cancellation of 2020 State Tests
https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2020/03/19/calls-grow-for-state-exams-to-be-canceled-amid-coronavirus-pandemic
North Carolina Lawmakers Must Act to Pursue Federal Testing Waiver
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/coronavirus/article241368641.html
Ohio State Still Needs to Cancel Its Own Testing Requirements
https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/local-education/feds-waive-school-testing-mandate-this-year-ohio-next-steps-unclear/UqcZsLnhW3TDUfWCWiTvUL/
Ohio What Are the Impacts of Suspending This Year’s K-12 Exams?
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2020/03/23/whats-impact-if-ohio-cancels-school-testing-due-coronavirus/2899627001/
Oklahoma State Pursuing Testing Waiver
https://www.kgou.org/post/oklahoma-will-not-have-spring-assessment-testing-year-0
Oregon Federal Waiver Filed to Cease School Testing
http://www.nrtoday.com/news/health/coronavirus/oregon-to-apply-for-waivers-cease-standardized-testing-for-a/article_9f98399c-14d8-55f5-8a92-74bf7c5afee2.html
Pennsylvania State Department of Education Cancels Spring 2020 Testing
https://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/news/education/2020/03/19/should-school-standardized-tests-waived-pandemic/2868974001/
South Carolina U.S. DOE Approves State’s Testing Waiver
https://www.wspa.com/news/us-dept-of-education-approves-scdes-waiver-to-suspend-student-assessments/
Tennessee Legislature Unanimously Approves 2020 Exam Cancellation, Waives All Test Consequences
https://www.columbiadailyherald.com/news/20200319/lawmakers-approve-bill-to-cancel-tnready-standardized-assessment
Texas Annual School Testing Requirement Suspended
https://www.tpr.org/post/texas-staar-test-requirements-waived-due-coronavirus-outbreak
Vermont Feds Give Preliminary Approval to Testing Waiver
https://www.benningtonbanner.com/stories/us-waives-testing-requirements-for-vermont-schools,600588
Virginia Testing Waiver Will Be Sought
https://www.starexponent.com/news/virginia-will-seek-federal-waiver-for-student-tests-sol-cancellations/article_0d6c7f31-ecee-5dc9-a994-cca2ccea3ba3.html
Washington All Testing Cancelled for This School Year
https://www.k12.wa.us/about-ospi/press-releases/novel-coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-resources#dexp-accordion-item
Washington With State Tests Cancelled, High Schools Await Guidance on Graduation Standards
https://tdn.com/news/local/with-state-testing-cancelled-schools-are-waiting-for-state-guidance/article_11862ba3-5b1d-5d96-9133-3827c73ceb4e.html
West Virginia Governor Seeks Federal Waiver, Cancels State Testing
https://www.wvnews.com/statejournal/news/top_story/wv-school-system-halts-as-novel-coronavirus-closes-in-on/article_eb156159-050b-5c9d-8a40-c0769033a152.html
Wisconsin Testing Waiver Sought
https://dpi.wi.gov/news/releases/2020/dpi-updates-guidance-districts-during-covid-19-school-closures
Wyoming Federal Waiver Allows Students to Avoid Annual Testing
https://buckrail.com/wyoming-may-scrub-education-assessment-test-in-light-of-challenging-classroom-environment/
University Admissions Case Western Reserve Drops ACT/SAT Requirement
https://thedaily.case.edu/cwru-leaders-authorize-test-optional-admissions-for-students-entering-in-fall-2021/
University Admissions Do Test-Optional Policies Work?
https://diverseeducation.com/article/169246/
University Admissions Could Coronavirus Push More Colleges to Go Test-Optional?
https://www.educationdive.com/news/could-coronavirus-push-more-colleges-to-test-optional-admissions/574679/
University Admissions Students Petition Colleges for SAT and ACT Flexibility
http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teaching_now/2020/03/students_petition_colleges_SAT_ACT_Flexibility_Coronavirus.html
University Admissions March 2020 Law School Test Cancelled
https://www.lsac.org/update-coronavirus-and-lsat
International Ontario Canada Cancels All Standardized Exams Due to Pandemic
https://www.cp24.com/news/ontario-cancels-standardized-tests-for-students-due-to-pandemic-1.4857479
International United Kingdom Cancels A-Level and GCSE Exams Cancelled
https://metro.co.uk/2020/03/18/level-gcse-exams-cancelled-coronavirus-pandemic-schools-close-12420035/
Worth Reading Scrap This Year’s Big Standardized Tests
http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/03/scrap-big-standardized-test.html
Bob Schaeffer, interim Executive Director
FairTest: National Center for Fair & Open Testing
office: (239) 395-6773 mobile: (239) 699-0468
email: bobschaeffer@fairtest.org