Federal Policy Reform: Working for Greater Assessment Flexibility

The Federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) maintains many of the problematic conditions and requirements of the No Child Left Behind that have limited innovation and hampered movement away from mandated standardized tests in a way that is harmful to education quality and student equity. FairTest seeks changes in ESSA that would enhance development and use of educationally beneficial assessments and mitigate the use of and harm caused by excessive testing. A proposed change FairTest strongly supports is the More Teaching, Less Testing Act of 2023 introduced by Rep. Jamal Bowman (D-NY) which would reduce the amount of federally mandated standardized testing, provide states with greater flexibility for their accountability systems, and encourage assessment innovation, including development of authentic performance-based assessments.

Federal Policy Reform: Working for Greater Assessment Flexibility

The Federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)

The articles on this page analyze the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which replaced No Child Left Behind (NCLB) as the current version of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Because ESSA requires the same testing as NCLB did and many states still use NCLB punitive accountability programs though they do not have to, this page retains material on NCLB that is relevant to ESSA. It also includes fact sheets on the right to opt out of state tests.

For the innovative potential of ESSA, click here.

For more details on the dangerous consequences of high stakes and overtesting, click here.

For information on alternative assessments and accountability, click here.