This week’s many stories of K-12 assessment reform progress through state ESSA plans and school districts slashing standardized exam requirements are offset by examples of ongoing testing overkill. As another academic year begins, grassroots activists — including parents, students, educators and community leaders — plan to escalate campaigns to root out policies that encourage test misuse and overuse and replace them with performance-based assessments that support teaching and learning. In higher education, the ACT/SAT-optional movement continues to accelerate with momentum spreading into the elimination of other admissions-related tests.
NationalHow Far Will Testing Leeway Extend Under the Every Student Succeeds Act?
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2017/08/essa_high_school_testing_flexibility_catch.html
National “Too Young to Test Act” Model Legislation
http://publicleadershipinstitute.org/model-bills/education/young-test-act/
ArkansasNew Law Focuses on Multiple Measures, Not Just Standardized Exam Results
http://www.nwaonline.com/news/2017/aug/06/plan-for-every-kid-now-aim-of-exams-201-1/
DelawareFirst State ESSA Plan Approved
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2017/08/betsy_devos_essa_delaware_approve.html
FloridaDistrict Slashes Standardized Exams
http://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-polk/polk-county-public-schools-slash-standardized-testing
GeorgiaOne Bad Test Score Negated A Year’s Good Grades
http://www.11alive.com/news/local/holding-powerful-accountable/mother-says-one-bad-test-negated-childs-passing-grades/462035217
IdahoSuperintendents Applaud Plan to De-emphasize Test Scores, End Single-Factor School Grades
https://www.idahoednews.org/news/administrators-seek-briefing-federal-essa-plan/
KansasState Tries to Restore Balance to Test-Driven School Accreditation System
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2017/aug/06/kansas-schools-preparing-sweeping-changes-state-ov/
LouisianaVAM Restart Means More Unfair Teacher Evaluations
http://louisianaeducator.blogspot.com/2017/08/restart-of-vam-more-unfair-teacher.html
MichiganDetroit Schools to Cut Testing Volume by 70%
http://www.freep.com/story/news/2017/08/03/detroit-schools-testing/535980001/
MinnesotaNew School Grading Plan Pushed
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2017/08/01/minnesota-presses-new-plan-to-grade-school-performance
New JerseyPARCC Exam is the Real Problem, Not Student Academic Performance
http://www.app.com/story/opinion/editorials/2017/08/06/parcc-test-results-nj-scrap/104301300/
New YorkThree Geometry Exam Questions Tossed for Having No “Right” Answer
http://www.newyorkupstate.com/schools/2017/08/new_york_regents_toss_3_geometry_exam_questions_without_clear_and_correct_answer.html
PennsylvaniaNew Accountability Plan Puts Less Emphasis on Testing
http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/item/106104-pa-unveils-new-school-accountability-system-that-puts-less-emphasis-on-standardized-testing?_topstory
TennesseeSchool Year’s Work Can’t Be Measured By Test Score
http://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/columnists/david-waters/2017/08/04/cant-measure-school-year-by-test-score/539470001/
UtahState Board of Education Frustrated by Legislative Testing Requirements
http://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2017/08/03/state-school-board-committee-begrudgingly-recommends-about-face-on-sage-testing/
VirginiaRole of Standardized Tests in School Accreditation May Be Reduced
http://www.chesterfieldobserver.com/news/2017-08-02/Front_Page/State_considers_reducing_role_of_SOL_tests.html
West VirginiaEducators Weigh In on Multi-Measures School Accountability Plant
https://www.theet.com/news/free/education-officials-weigh-in-on-newly-proposed-state-accountability-assessment/article_68f48bd4-5bd5-5633-b192-73c08a50bd73.html
UniversityPurchase College — State University of New York Drops ACT/SAT Admissions Exam Requirement
https://www.purchase.edu/live/news/1658-purchase-adopts-test-optional-admissions-policy
University Cal State School Will No Longer Require Placement Exams
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-cal-state-remedial-requirements-20170803-story.html
University More than 980 Bachelor-Degree Granting Institutions Now Test-Optional
https://fairtest.orgdata.com.org/university/optional
Worth ReadingBogus Arguments About What “On Track” Academically Means
https://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2017/08/on-track.html