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As policy-makers debate re-opening classrooms later this year, momentum is growing to continue the suspension of K-12 testing mandates at least into the next academic year.   Already at the undergraduate admissions level, about half of all bachelor-degree granting institutions have announced ACT/SAT-optional for Fall 2021 admissions and, in many case, future years.  Parents, educators and community leaders need to pressure public schools to follow suit.

California Legislation Advances to Extend District Flexibility to Suspend Standardized Exams

What a week! 

While nearly all this spring's K-12 exams were cancelled by coronavirus-driven school closures, there's still lots of action in the university admissions assessment reform arena.  In particularly, the University of California Regents are about to vote on a proposal to phase out use of the ACT and SAT at that system's nine undergraduate campuses, and the rollout of on-line Advanced Placement exams has been plagued by technical SNAFUs that the tests' sponsor should have foreseen. 

With the peak of the current coronavirus pandemic arguably behind us in much of the U.S., policymakers are beginning to discuss what should happen when the nation's-public schools and colleges are allowed to re-open.  Not surprisingly, the role of standardized exam scores in post-COVID-19 education is a key question.  Parents, teachers and reform advocates should make the case for continuing the current suspension of high-stakes tests at least through the next academic year, while better forms of assessment are deployed.  Now is the time to take advantage of letters to th

May 5, 2020, is Giving TuesdayNow, a day specially designated for supporting non-profit organizations in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. FairTest has responded to these unprecedented challenges by providing resources to grassroots activists who successfully campaigned to eliminate this spring's federal and state public school testing mandates and spearheading the test-optional admissions movement, which has seen another 100+ colleges and universities drop ACT/SAT requirements.

More assessment reform progress to report as additional states and colleges eliminate their high-stakes testing requirements.  Most significantly, a growing number of institutions are beginning to consider whether they need to reinstate these barriers to equity and educational quality after coronavirus disruptions have ended.  Parents, students, educators and their allies should pressure policymakers to use this time -- when so many other activities are suspended -- to rethink educational assessment and accountability.

With  this Spring's federal and state testing mandates suspended, now is the time for local activists, educators and community leaders to begin developing campaigns to roll back standardized exam requirements for the 2020-2021 school year and beyond.  Already, many colleges and universities have announced that they will implement ACT/SAT-optional policies for fall 2021 applicants and, often, future classes.  K-12 policymakers should be pressured to follow suit.

Following the lead of the federal government, which approved all requests for 2020 waivers from tests required under the Every Student Succeeds Act, many states have suspended their own mandates for exams (mis-)used for graduation, grade promotion, teacher evaluation and the like. If your state has not already done so, make sure that ALL testing requirements for 2020 are cancelled by contacting your governor, board of education and legislators.

Pressure from parents, educators and community leaders has now forced policy makers in all 50 states to apply for and receive waivers from federal testing requirements. But some jurisdictions still need to act to suspend their own standardized exam mandates for high school exit exams, grade promotion, teacher evaluation and similar (mis-)uses.   If any standardized tests are still required in your state this spring, tell your elected officials, allies, and the news media to cancel them ASAP! -- feel free to contact FairTest for help.

Most states have now sought waivers from federal testing requirements, which the U.S. Department of Education quickly granted, but several holdouts still need grassroots pressure to lift this burden from students, parents and families  In addition, many states have not yet taken action to suspend their own testing mandates (e.g.