With each passing week, more policymakers are questioning the value of federal and state student testing mandates. Since high-stakes testing regimes have failed to improve academic performance significantly or to narrow historic gaps between demographic groups — proponents’ two major promises — a growing number of voters are pressing their elected representatives for reasons to continue down the same, non-productive path (besides the knee-jerk “Because . . . testing” non-answer)
Arizona COVID-19 Impact Reflected in Standardized Test Scores
https://www.eacourier.com/copper_era/covid-19-impact-reflected-in-standardized-test-scores/article_0db7d1bc-167b-11ec-853e-e76d21a09417.html
Florida Is Florida Really Ending High-Stakes Standardized Testing?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2021/09/18/florida-desantis-standardized-testing-overhaul/
Florida More Questions Than Answers About Governor’s School Exam Overhaul “Plan”
https://floridaphoenix.com/2021/09/21/upending-fl-statewide-exams-will-likely-be-difficult-proposed-testing-system-has-few-details/
Georgia COVID-19 Test Score Decline Consistent with National Trends
https://www.thenortheastgeorgian.com/local-news/covid-brings-test-scores-down-across-georgia
Illinois State Plans to Overhaul Assessments, Reduce Testing Time
https://chicago.chalkbeat.org/2021/9/14/22674677/illinois-state-assessment-standardized-exam
Kentucky Super Urges Feds to Roll Back Testing Requirements
https://wfpl.org/jcps-superintendent-asks-feds-to-roll-back-standardized-testing/
Massachusetts Role of State Exam Continues to Dominate Education Debate
https://www.wbur.org/news/2021/09/20/mcas-standards-exam-requirements
Massachusetts State Testing System Allows White Supremacy to Flourish in Public Schools
https://www.bostonherald.com/2021/09/18/mass-teachers-union-mcas-test-has-allowed-white-supremacy-to-flourish-in-public-schools/
Missouri Don’t Misuse Data Showing Pandemic Impacted Test Scores
https://www.missourinet.com/2021/09/14/pandemic-causes-missouris-standardized-test-scores-to-fall/
Oregon Why the State Suspended its Graduation Testing Requirement
https://www.opb.org/article/2021/09/20/examining-oregon-decision-to-drop-high-school-essential-skill-requirements/
Tennessee Is the Big Test Headed for the Big Crash?
https://norinrad10.com/2021/09/17/is-the-big-test-headed-for-the-big-crash/
University Admissions ACT/SAT-Optional Policies Promote Higher Education Diversity
https://www.diverseeducation.com/students/article/15114774/report-testoptional-trends-in-pandemic-year-for-college-admissions
University Admissions Advanced Placement Exam Grading System Gets Low Marks
https://undark.org/2021/09/16/advanced-placement-exams-grading-system-gets-low-marks/
Worth Listening Leaving Students Behind: The Tyranny of Testing podcast with FairTest’s Executive Director
https://ethicalschools.org/2021/09/leaving-students-behind-the-tyranny-of-testing/
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