Author: FairTest

California Los Angeles Teachers Want More Money and Less Testinghttps://www.latimes.com/world-nation/newsletter/2022-12-06/los-angeles-teachers-rally-pay-hike-todays-headlines Pandemic Era Test Scores Do Not Define Studentshttps://www.thecamarilloacorn.com/articles/test-scores-are-important-but-dont-define-students/ Colorado Changes Planned to School Accountability Systemhttps://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/12/1/23488845/colorado-school-rating-changes-accountability-framework-on-track-growthColorado Denver Seeks Parent, Student Input for New Public School Data Dashboardhttps://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/11/30/23487006/denver-school-dashboard-advisory-committee-applications-spf Debate Over Accountability System Audit Findingshttps://www.cpr.org/2022/12/12/audit-colorado-school-performance-evaluation/ Illinois Chicago Considers Ending Test-Score Based Grade Retentionhttps://chicago.chalkbeat.org/2022/12/6/23497186/chicago-public-schools-promotion-policy-grade-retentionIndiana Multiple-Measures Dashboard May Replace A-to-F School Grading Systemhttps://in.chalkbeat.org/2022/12/6/23497060/indiana-school-dashboard-graduates-outcomes-employment-college-digital-literacy-dataMassachusetts Assessment Reform […]

FairTest regrets to announce the death of George Rosenfeld, a long-term member of the organization’s Board of Directions. In addition to his effective work with FairTest, George was a much-honored leader of Odyssey House, the New York City addiction recovery organization, where he had been elected Board Chairman. George also served on the boards of the […]

for further information, contact:                        Harry Feder      (917) 273-8939 Bob Schaeffer  (239) 699-0468  for immediate release Thursday, November 10, 2022 RECORD 1,835+ SCHOOLS ARE ACT/SAT-OPTIONAL OR TEST-BLIND/SCORE-FREE FOR FALL 2023 APPLICANTS; TWO-THIRDS COMMIT TO EXTENDING POLICIES AT LEAST THROUGH 2024 As high school seniors across the nation rush to meet college application deadlines, a […]

Standardized exams are a central focus of this week’s news with the release of another COVID-era round of National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores as well as the U.S. Supreme Court hearing on challenges to affirmative action in which plaintiffs appear to contend falsely that “test scores measure merit.”  The proper role of test […]

Results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) released this week provided more evidence confirming what nearly everyone associated with K-12 education already knew — a global pandemic, which killed more than a million U.S. residents and severely disrupted institutions and families, also undermined teaching and learning. As usual, the test scores provide little […]

Later this month, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on two lawsuits seeking to bar race conscious admissions policies. To learn more about these cases’ background and likely implications for testing, access, equity and related concerns in both higher education and public schools, you access a recording of a FairTest, ACCEPT, ACCIS and NACAC […]

Director of Advocacy and Advancement Akil Bello explains that contrary to ACT press releases and the media reports that accepted their narrative, declining ACT scores are explainable by its loss of test takers, particularly in states that had higher average ACT scores. Bello cautions, “We, the public, need to be wary of simplistic interpretation of […]

According to Bob Schaeffer, Public Education Director of FairTest, the lowest ACT scores since 1991 were not surprising given the “unprecedented disruptions of education” in the past two years. Schaeffer pinned the decline in ACT exam takers to the proliferation of test-optional and test-free policies in college admissions, representing over 1800 or about 80% of […]

National No Child Left Behind “Worked” in the Sense That It Fixated Schools on Boosting Test Scoreshttps://www.aei.org/op-eds/20-years-ago-nclb-kinda-sorta-worked-thats-the-problem/Arizona The Truth About Pandemic-Year Test Data That Some Candidates Try to Distorthttps://tucson.com/opinion/local/local-opinion-the-truth-about-pandemic-year-school-testing-data/article_22ac5fea-3f45-11ed-9179-4fbf27f20629.html California State Yields to Pressure, Will Release COVID-Impacted Test Scores Without Background Contexthttps://edsource.org/2022/california-reverses-course-will-release-smarter-balance-test-scores-next-month-official-says/678816Florida Embrace of Advanced Placement Exams Is Part of State’s Failed Education Policyhttps://slate.com/human-interest/2022/09/advanced-placement-ron-desantis-florida-education.htmlGeorgia Efforts Falter to Develop New State […]

Akil Bello provides a trenchant critique of the objectivity of the U.S. News and World Report college rankings, and underscores the harm they visit upon unsuspecting applicants. https://www.chronicle.com/article/the-reckless-rankings-game