fact sheets

Forum on Educational Accountability

Recommendations for Improving Federal Law - January 2015

UPDATED SEPTEMBER 2017

Across the nation, resistance to test overuse and misuse reached unprecedented levels in spring 2015. The rapidly growing movement built on significant test opposition unleashed in 2013-14. The resistance to standardized exam overkill erupted in more states with far more participants, and it won notable victories.

The first wave of “wins” included:

Time for a Real Testing Moratorium

Resistance to the overuse and misuse of standardized tests is expanding rapidly across the nation (Guisbond, 2014). The movement’s goals are to roll back testing overkill, eliminate damaging high stakes, and create an assessment system that supports teaching and learning while providing useful information to parents, communities and states. Some states have responded to the uprising by temporarily pausing some sanctions for teachers and schools.

The new federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) does not require states to have educator evaluation systems. If a state chooses to do so, it does not have to include student test scores.  To win federal Race to the Top grants or waivers from No Child Left Behind (NCLB), most states adopted teacher and principal evaluation systems based heavily on student test scores. Many educators have resisted these unproven policies.

PEARSON’S HISTORY OF TESTING PROBLEMS

compiled by Bob Schaeffer, Public Education Director

FairTest: National Center for Fair & Open Testing

Updated June 11, 2019

1998 California – test score delivery delayed

1999-2000 Arizona – 12,000 tests misgraded due to flawed answer key

2000 Florida – test score delivery delayed resulting in $4 million fine

New York Performance Standards Consortium

(Updated March, 2018)

• For more complete information on each of these (and other) points see our full FairTest Fact Sheet: Common Core Assessment Myths and Realities: Moratorium Needed From More Tests, Costs, Stress

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