Author: FairTest

With public schools closing for the summer, many states are reviewing their 2015-2016 testing experience (once again, not a pretty picture) and planning to implement assessment reforms in coming years. You can help stop the U.S. Department of Education from promoting testing misuse and overuse by weighing in on proposed Every Student Succeeds Act regulations. […]

Dear Friends, The U.S. Department of Education (DoE) has drafted regulations for implementing the accountability provisions of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The DOE proposals would continue test-and-punish practices imposed by the failed No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law. The draft over-emphasizes standardized exam scores, mandates punitive interventions not required in law, and extends […]

for further information, contact: Bob Schaeffer (239) 395-6773 mobile (239) 699-0468 for immediate release with NACAC predictive validity report, Wednesday, June 15, 2016 MANY COLLEGES DON’T HAVE CURRENT ACT/SAT VALIDITY ANALYSES, ACCORDING TO NEW, NATIONAL ADMISSIONS STUDY; TEST-OPTIONAL ADVOCATES URGE SCHOOLS TO REVIEW REQUIREMENTS A report released today by the National Association for College Admissions […]

Another week of standardized exam foul-ups leads more states to de-emphasize test scores or, at least, question their assessment policies. Check out FairTest’s chronology of computerized testing problems at:https://fairtest.orgdata.com.org/computerized-testing-problems-chronology Alaska State Seeks Federal Testing Waiver After Computer Exam Failedhttp://www.newsminer.com/news/education/state-seeks-standardized-testing… California State at Odds with Feds Over School Rating Proposalshttps://edsource.org/2016/california-and-proposed-federal-regulations-at…California New Teacher Evaluations Do Not Rely […]

Testing controversies continue to produce major news stories across the nation as the grassroots assessment reform movement presses to roll back the pervasive overuse and misuse of standardized exams. National Draft Federal Regulation Try to Continue Test-and-Punish Policies Under ESSAhttps://janresseger.wordpress.com/2016/06/02/federally-mandated-test-and… California More than Half of Students Opt-Out of Tests at Two Schoolshttp://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2016/05/28/paly-gunn-again-see-low-sm… Florida After Protests, […]

Many states are beginning to review their assessment and accountability systems to comply with the new federal Every Student Succeeds Act. Input from grassroots stakeholders — particularly parents, educators and community leaders — can help determine whether the revised policies help improve learning and teaching or simply put a different gloss on failed test-and-punish systems. […]

The grassroots assessment reform movement continues to score victories as more legislatures and policy-makers agree to roll back standardized exam overkill. To track progress over this spring’s testing season, check out our news clip archives at https://fairtest.orgdata.com.org/news/other — you can find out how to get involved at: https://fairtest.orgdata.com.org/building-stronger-more-effective-assessment-reform Multiple States Snapshot of Spring Testing (and […]

With spring testing winding down in many schools after another trouble-filled season, parents, educators and community activists are pressuring policy makers to focus on overhauling state assessment systems using the increased flexibility possible under the new, federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). National Congressional Leaders Urge Full Stakeholder Participation in ESSA Implementationhttp://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2016/05/murray_scott_urge_b… California Board of […]

Add Georgia to the list of states that have had to eliminate consequences attached to test scores because of the failure of computer-administered exams. Earlier this year, Alaska and Tennessee cancelled their tests as did Montana, Nevada, and North Dakota in 2015 — more than two-thirds of all states have reported computer test SNAFUs: https://fairtest.orgdata.com.org/computerized-testing-problems-chronology. […]

With news reports from fully half the 50 states, including the predictable collapse of yet another new, computerized exam administration system, it is clear that the assessment reform movement is spreading across the country as testing season peaks. National NAEP Scores Show Decade of Test-Driven School “Reform” Produced No Academic Progresshttps://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/05/03/what-the-…National What New Federal Testing […]