Author: FairTest

for further information: Bob Schaeffer (239) 395-6773 mobile (239) 699-0468 for immediate release, Wednesday, February 22, 2017 NEW COLLEGE BOARD EXAM SECURITY RULESLEAVE SAT TEST FORM RECYCLING“BARN DOOR FOR CHEATERS” WIDE OPEN Additional security procedures for the SAT unveiled today fail to address a major cause of global test cheating — the reuse of questions […]

Pressure is rising in state after state to reduce standardized exam overkill, end high-stakes and support better assessment measures. The beginning of testing season is a great opportunity to increase attention to the issue. Parents, students, educators, and community leaders should make sure that their elected representatives know of the strong support for real testing […]

TESTIMONY IN SUPPORT OF SENATE BILL 452 MARYLAND SENATE EDUCATION, HEALTH & ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ROBERT A. SCHAEFFER, PUBLIC EDUCATION DIRECTOR NATIONAL CENTER FOR FAIR & OPEN TESTING (FAIRTEST) FEBRUARY 15, 2017 Committee Chair Conway, Vice Chair Pinsky, Committee Members: I am Robert Schaeffer, Public Education Director of the National Center for Fair & Open […]

The pace of both testing resistance and assessment reform is definitely quickening as the late winter/early spring 2017 standardized exam season draws nearer. Great to see so many policy makers questioning the fundamental role and value of current volumes of testing and the stakes attached to them. National“A to F” School Grading Scales Distort Public […]

Check out all the assessment reform activity in state legislatures as national polling shows strong public support for reducing testing overkill NationalPoll Data Show Most Americans Do Not Think Standardized Tests Are Good Measure of Students or Schoolshttp://www.publicschooloptions.org/splash.htmlhttp://www.publicschooloptions.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/National-PSO-11-28-16-Public-Update.pdf ColoradoEducator Ratings Don’t Account for Student Povertyhttp://gazette.com/colorado-educator-evaluations-do-not-account-for-disadvantaged-school-populations/article/1596168 ConnecticutFailed Smarter Balanced Common Core Tests Hurt Students and Schoolshttp://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Wendy-Lecker-Failed-common-core-tests-punish-10906971.php […]

With the 2017 K-12 school testing season beginning soon in some jurisdictions, FairTest has released several new and updated fact sheets to help assessment reform activists organize resistance to standardized exam overuse and misuse. At the same time, many state legislatures are considering proposals to reduce testing overkill. NationalWhy You Can Boycott Testing Without Fear […]

Parents and students often fear the threat that if they opt out of state exams, their school could lose funding. However, this is an empty threat: no school has lost funding because of opting out. In fact, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) specifically authorizes states to allow parents to opt their children out of […]

The pace of assessment reform news accelerates with legislatures back in session and annual school testing drawing near. Many states are beginning to use their new flexibility under ESSA as parents, students, teachers, supervisors, school board members and community activists push for major reductions in standardized exam mandates. National States Balance Ambitious and Achievable in […]

Graduation Test Update: States That Recently Eliminated or Scaled Back High School Exit Exams (Updated October 2025) The number of states requiring high school graduation exams in language arts and math has declined rapidly over the past few years. Only six states have mandatory graduation tests in place for the high school class of 2026, […]

(NOTE: For a print formatted PDF of this fact sheet click here) The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires that states assess 95% of all students, and 95% of each “subgroup” in every school with federally mandated annual state tests in English and math. It says that in calculating average school test scores, a school […]