Testing Resistance & Reform News: April 22 – 28

More assessment reform progress to report as additional states and colleges eliminate their high-stakes testing requirements. Most significantly, a growing number of institutions are beginning to consider whether they need to reinstate these barriers to equity and educational quality after coronavirus disruptions have ended. Parents, students, educators and their allies should pressure policymakers to use this time — when so many other activities are suspended — to rethink educational assessment and accountability.

National Why We Should Begin Planning to Suspend Next Year’s Tests Now
https://thehill.com/opinion/education/493392-why-we-need-to-suspend-k-12-testing-for-next-school-year-now
National States Should Redirect Money From Cancelled Tests to More Important Education and Student Needs
https://www.crpe.org/thelens/three-ways-states-can-tap-essa-better-navigate-covid-19-crisis

California How State Is Changing Its School Accountability Plan During the Pandemic
https://edsource.org/2020/quick-guide-changing-school-accountability-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic/630200

Indiana With Many Colleges Dropping SAT Requirements, Why Is State Requiring High School Students to Take the Test?
https://www.lakeshorepublicradio.org/post/fewer-colleges-require-sat-scores-so-why-indiana-requiring-it-high-school

Kentucky Bill on Governor’s Desk Would End Graduation Test Requirement
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/2020/04/22/kentucky-high-school-graduation-requirements-may-change/5137000002/
Kentucky Canceling Spring Testing May Have Saved State Millions of Dollars
https://www.wdrb.com/in-depth/canceling-k-prep-tests-may-have-saved-kentucky-department-of-education-millions/article_66f12e2c-84d2-11ea-a717-e7b979affe09.html

Massachusetts Unanswered Questions About Future of State Testing
https://www.thereminder.com/localnews/hilltowns/lack-of-mcas-testiing-leads-to-unanswered-question/
Massachusetts Feds Permit State to Pilot Innovative Science Assessment
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2020/04/massachusetts-innovative-science-assessment.html

Mississippi Suspension of Teacher Licensing Test Opens Doors for New Classroom Educators
https://mississippitoday.org/2020/04/23/suspension-of-teacher-license-test-amid-covid-19-crisis-likely-to-open-up-some-doors-for-potential-educators/

New York Huge Neighborhood Disparities Among Students Selected for Gifted-and-Talented Programs by Test Scores
https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/ny-gifted-and-talented-exams-20200423-apxhzupmmfaidoroacobpu2rge-story.html

Pennsylvania Local Board Waives Graduation Testing Requirement
https://www.post-gazette.com/local/south/2020/04/25/Mt-Lebanon-School-Board-waives-Keystone-Exams-requirement-seniors/stories/202004240006

South Carolina Legislation Backed to Lift Testing Requirement for Lottery-Funded Scholarships
https://www.thestate.com/news/coronavirus/article242166681.html

Texas State Waives Testing Requirement for Probationary Teachers
https://cbsaustin.com/news/coronavirus/pandemic-relaxes-student-teacher-certification-requirements-in-texas

Virginia State Ditches Idea of Shifting High-Stakes Exams to Fall
https://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/update-virginia-ditches-idea-of-fall-sol-testing-with-spring-exams-canceled/article_d1c30a77-7c41-541b-bb72-874bceb9dd31.html

University Admissions Higher Education Dismissing ACT/SAT Scores Amid Pandemic
https://www.miamitimesonline.com/covid-19_hub/universities-dismissing-sat-act-scores-amid-crisis/article_0e740368-84a6-11ea-8aa5-276555b0341a.html
University Admissions These College Are Waiving ACT/SAT Requirements for Fall 2021 Applicants
https://www.nytimes.com/article/sat-act-test-optional-colleges-coronavirus.html
https://fairtest.org.org/university/optional
University Admissions Open Letter to College Board About Problems with Online, At-Home Advanced Placement Exams
https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2020/04/22/an-open-letter-college-board-about-online-at-home-ap-tests/

Worth Reading Replace the Tests with Project-Based Learning
https://www.gettingsmart.com/2020/04/out-with-the-test-in-with-pbl-how-project-based-learning-is-transforming-remote-learning

Bob Schaeffer, interim Executive Director
FairTest: National Center for Fair & Open Testing
contributor: The Scandal of Standardized Tests: Why We Need to Drop the SAT & ACT
(new from Teachers College Press, April 2020)
office- (239) 395-6773 mobile- (239) 699-0468
web- http://www.fairtest.org

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