Testing Resistance & Reform News: August 18 -24, 2021

More states are reporting spring 2021 standardized exam scores with totally predictable results. But there’s little concrete evidence that the data is being used to improve educational quality and equity in public school classrooms. So far, the exercise seems little more than another example of “testing for the sake of testing.”

National Schools Should Not Obsess Over Pandemic “Learning Loss”
https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/k-12-students-return-schools-shouldnt-obsess-over-pandemic-learning-loss

Connecticut Missing the Chance to Overhaul Test-Driven Education
https://ctmirror.org/category/ct-viewpoints/missed-opportunity-for-excellent-education-andrew/

Georgia Low Test-Participation Rate Makes Year-to-Year Comparisons Impossible
https://www.news4jax.com/news/georgia/2021/08/17/test-scores-fall-in-georgia-schools-after-pandemic-year/

Idaho Pandemic Test Results Are “Unsurprising”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/careersandeducation/we-werent-surprised-pandemics-impact-shows-up-in-idahos-standardized-test-scores/ar-AANw89g

Louisiana School Evaluations Should Reflect Teaching and Learning, Not Student Demographics
https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/opinion/letters/article_23e02cee-fecc-11eb-a1b9-7fb9cf2c1a7e.html

Maryland Enough Over-Testing: Bring Back Enrichment and Creativity
https://www.thesentinel.com/communities/enough-overtesting-it-s-time-to-bring-enrichment-and-creativity-back-to-our-classrooms/article_a6323136-0473-11ec-a927-effa0482da62.html

Oregon Can Students Really Graduate Without Demonstrating English and Math Proficiency? Nope
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/oregon-graduation-proficiencies/

Pennsylvania Testing Overhaul Needed to Boost School Success in Post-COVID World
https://www.pitt.edu/pittwire/features-articles/report-k-12-schools-need-change-success-post-pandemic-world

Texas COVID-19 “Learning Loss” Should Be Among Our Least Back-to-School Concerns
https://www.statesman.com/story/opinion/columns/more-voices/2021/08/18/teacher-support-can-help-curb-covid-19-affects-classroom-education/8153058002/

Virginia How Selective High School Overhauled Admissions
https://theconversation.com/an-elite-virginia-high-school-overhauled-admissions-for-gifted-students-heres-how-to-tell-if-the-changes-are-working-164850

Wisconsin Equity Audit Identifies School Opportunity Gaps
https://www.hngnews.com/waunakee_tribune/article_dc95da17-0f91-55d9-85ac-3211cb13fb35.html

University Admission Many Fewer Colleges and Universities Require Standardized Exams
https://www.axios.com/hard-truths-deep-dive-higher-education-standardized-tests-93814106-49a2-40ff-9814-707327eebbeb.html
University Admission Pandemic Adoption of ACT/SAT-Optional Policies Reshaped Higher Education
https://news.yahoo.com/recent-events-reshaped-college-admissions-145048029.html

Worth Reading To Fix Education, We Need a Different Lens for Test Scores
https://www.forbes.com/sites/nataliewexler/2021/08/20/to-fix-education-we-need-a-different-lens-for-test-scores/
Worth Reading Sending Food Home With Low-Income Students Improves Standardized Exam Results
https://news.yahoo.com/students-struggling-economic-backgrounds-sent-121802071.html

Bob Schaeffer, Executive Director
FairTest: National Center for Fair & Open Testing
office- (239) 395-6773 mobile- (239) 699-0468
web- https://fairtest.org.org
email- bobschaeffer@fairtest.org

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