One month from Election Day 2020, the future of standardized exam requirements is becoming increasingly controversial in state and local contests. As you fill out your ballot, remember that high-stakes testing is now more of a “political” issue than an “educational” one. Your vote can make a difference in determining the future direction of assessment policies
National Where the Major Party Presidential Candidates Stand on Student Testing (and other educational issues)
https://www.edweek.org/ew/projects/education2020/index.html
California Should State Administer Standardized Tests During the Pandemic
https://ihselvaquero.com/1025/viewpoint/should-schools-give-students-standardized-tests-during-these-unprecedented-times/
Florida Parents Angered by State Requiring Students to Take Standardized Tests in Person Under COVID
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/education/os-ne-testing-in-person-online-education-20200930-qcyklv4fhngphh6zocgpjgxkxi-story.html
Georgia Political Fight Over How Much to Devalue Role of State Test Scores
https://www.wrdw.com/2020/10/02/georgia-state-board-proposes-tests-count-for-10-of-student-grade/
Massachusetts Cancelling 2021 State Tests Is Issue of Economic Equity
https://www.bostonherald.com/2020/10/01/dont-add-2021-mcas-to-students-pandemic-burden/
New York State Test Still Scheduled Despite Push to Cancel
https://www.whec.com/back-to-school-rochester/state-assessment-tests-still-on-despite-calls-to-cancel/5881323/
Ohio One-Size-Fits-All State Report Cards Don’t Show Nuances of Student Ability
https://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/story/news/local/2020/10/04/educators-ohio-report-cards-dont-show-nuances-students-ability/5869978002/
Pennsylvania Will Standardized Tests Be Cancelled for Second Year in a Row; Many Hope So
https://www.inquirer.com/education/pssa-keystone-pennsylvania-cancel-exam-20201005.html
Tennessee School Systems Across State Press for Testing Moratorium
https://heraldcourier.com/news/school-systems-across-tennessee-push-for-moratorium-on-standardized-testing/article_4b004580-3ab5-5977-88ec-e578260e4aa5.html
Texas Does Test-Based Grading System Measure Up During a Pandemic?
https://www.expressnews.com/opinion/commentary/article/Commentary-Does-A-F-grading-system-measure-up-in-15617534.php
Virginia Lottery Considered to Replace Test-Scores for Admission to Selective High School
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/americas-top-sat-school-makes-another-disputed-attempt-at-diversity/2020/10/03/1bef3db2-0261-11eb-897d-3a6201d6643f_story.html
West Virginia Inside Story of College Board vs ACT Lobbying for High School Testing Contract
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/americas-top-sat-school-makes-another-disputed-attempt-at-diversity/2020/10/03/1bef3db2-0261-11eb-897d-3a6201d6643f_story.html
University Admissions How the SAT Failed America
https://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2020/09/30/the-forbes-investigation-how-the-sat-failed-america/#7d74a6ff53b5
University Admissions 1,600 Colleges Are Now Test-Optional; How Many Will Go Back?
https://www.edsurge.com/news/2020-09-25-1-600-colleges-are-now-test-optional-how-many-will-go-back
University Admissions Beyond ACT/SAT Optional, Many Schools Becoming “Test Free’
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/college-admissions-2021-sat/2020/10/03/5a6885b6-03f7-11eb-897d-3a6201d6643f_story.html
Worth Reading DeVos Strong-Arm Embrace of Required Testing Is Part of School Privatization Strategy
https://www.ajc.com/education/get-schooled-blog/book-devos-strong-arm-stance-on-tests-part-of-privatization-strategy/5FDVZ7E7FBHXNDHVUPU3ZIT2TY/
Worth Reading What Is All This Data For?
https://builtin.com/big-data/what-is-all-this-data-for
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, Spring 2020)
office- (239) 395-6773 mobile- (239) 699-0468
web- http://www.fairtest.org