As schools close for the summer, testing debates continue to heat up. This week, state requirements to retain students in third grade based on reading exam scores, are back in the spotlight. As renowned education researcher Linda Darling-Hammond concludes in the Alabama story, such politically driven policies have a proven track-record of failure. But they remain popular among public officials who want to claim that they are “doing something” to improve educational quality and equity . . . despite decades of evidence to the contrary.
NationalPandemic Prompts Some States to Suspend Reading Test Promotion Requirements
https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/pandemic-prompts-some-states-to-pass-struggling-3rd-graders/2021/06
AlabamaOnce Again Politicians Win While Educators and Children Lose in Decision to Implement Third-Grade Retention Exam
https://www.alreporter.com/2021/06/02/opinion-once-again-politicians-win-and-educators-lose/
CaliforniaGovernor Proposes Reducing Testing Requirements for New Teachers
https://edsource.org/2021/budget-proposal-would-ease-testing-requirements-for-california-teachers/655766
California Would Education Be Better Without Any Standardized Tests?
https://www.highlandnews.net/opinion/would-education-be-better-off-without-standardized-tests/article_416bbba4-c329-11eb-b855-5bf20ecdf8c3.html
ColoradoBill to Audit State Accountability System Moves Forward in Legislature
https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/6/4/22519284/colorado-school-ratings-accountability-system-audit-bias
FloridaEnd Biased Screening Tests and Provide “Gifted” Education to All
https://www.gainesville.com/story/opinion/2021/06/03/rachel-coleman-gifted-classes-exacerbate-inequities/7455199002/
IndianaAs Expected, Pandemic-Era Test Scores Show Declines from 2019 Levels
https://www.indystar.com/story/news/education/2021/06/02/indiana-test-scores-ilearn-results-coming-soon-bad-grades-expected/7504554002/
KentuckyConsiderations for Third Grade “Read to Succeed” Literacy Proposal
https://nepc.colorado.edu/publication/literacy
LouisianaManipulating Test-Based School Grades
https://deutsch29.wordpress.com/2021/06/06/louisiana-school-grades-adjusting-the-farce-for-student-growth/
MassachusettsMajority Favors Eliminating Annual State Exams
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/careers/boston-com-readers-are-split-on-whether-to-cancel-mcas-exams/ar-AAKB1bi
MichiganHow Parents Should Respond to Threats to Hold Back Their Children Due to Test Scores
https://detroit.chalkbeat.org/2021/6/7/22523356/michigan-third-grade-reading-retention-law
NevadaState to Assess How Many Exams Are Too Many, Set Limits on Testing Time
https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/how-many-tests-are-too-many-the-state-wants-to-find-out
Nevada Standardized Exams Largely Measure Test-Taking Ability, Not Proficiency
https://lasvegassun.com/news/2021/jun/07/standardized-tests-measure-test-taking-ability-not/
OregonEducators, Equity Leaders Call for End to High School Graduation Test Requirement
https://www.theskanner.com/news/northwest/31472-educators-equity-leaders-urge-oregon-to-get-rid-of-exit-testing-for-high-school-diplomas
TexasSeniors Can Petition to Graduate Without Passing State Tests
https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2021/06/02/texas-house-bill-999-staar-requirements-covid-pandemic-seniors/7489927002/
University AdmissionsI Bombed the GRE, But I’m a Thriving PhD Student
https://www.sciencemag.org/careers/2021/06/i-bombed-gre-i-m-thriving-phd-student
InternationalIreland Standardized Tests Heap Anxiety on Young Children
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/standardised-tests-heap-anxiety-on-primary-school-children-do-we-really-them-1.4581970
Worth ReadingLess Testing Is Part of Rx for Post-Pandemic Schools
https://www.tc.columbia.edu/articles/2021/may/an-rx-for-post-pandemic-schools/
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