Do We Really Need to Test All Students Every Year?
We can reduce testing in schools without sacrificing meaningful annual reports on students’ learning.
Read MoreCategory: Education Policy
Can We Reduce Testing in K-12 Schools?
State testing has long been criticized for many reasons. We undertook a study to examine what tradeoffs might be necessary to reduce the footprint of state testing. Here’s a preview of our early findings.
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Federal Innovative Assessment Pilot: Now Open to All States
In a bid to jump-start the program, USED expands the IADA. Nearly $22 million is potentially available to support work on new state assessments.
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School Accountability Is Broken
It’s time to create school accountability systems that recognize the unique roles and responsibilities of states, districts and schools.
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Building Innovative Assessments in an Era of Accountability
After Georgia pulled out of a federal assessment pilot, the state’s testing chief reflects on the policy changes necessary to support real test improvement.
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How to Improve School Accountability Now
We don’t refute calls for more sweeping reform, but we must take swift action to make school accountability work better right now.
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How to Choose Local Assessments
Choosing local assessments can be tricky. A new guide walks district leaders through the questions they should ask and the evidence they should request.
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4 Key Questions States Should Ask About College- and Career-Readiness
States must reconsider their content standards, assessments, and testing practices to keep up with two important trends in college- and career-readiness.
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Perfect Test Comparability Is a Sign of Failure
The federal innovative assessment pilot has hobbled the testing improvements it aimed to promote. We can change that by rethinking test comparability.
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Face It: Tests Have Consequences
An assessment’s negative or positive consequences are just as important as other dimensions of assessment quality, and should be part of test validity evaluations.
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It’s Time for an Innovative Accountability Pilot
Federal regulations limit states’ innovations in assessment. More substantial innovation can happen only with more flexibility in accountability.
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Through-Year Assessment: Are We Asking Too Much?
The Center’s latest paper provides sound advice for the states exploring through-year assessment right now, cautioning that this approach comes with serious challenges and tradeoffs.
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Reframing Accountability: Build Closer Connections Between School Identification and School Improvement
States can better support school improvement by building stronger connections between accountability design and school improvement.
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Slow the Flow of Your RFPs
Advancing educational assessment, like through-year assessment programs, can be supported by changes to the RFP process.
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Accountability Systems Must Offer More Than School Grades
School accountability systems encompass more than what is reflected in school grading systems, which can skew how school quality is seen.
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Can We Stop Obsessing About the Effects of Remote Instruction on Student Learning?
Let’s start talking about student learning recovery and stop focusing on the impact of remote instruction during the pandemic.
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Let’s Not Repeat the Past Mistakes in K-12 Reading Instruction and Assessment
There is a science behind reading instruction that must be followed to ensure reading comprehension goes beyond just the foundational skills.
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New NAEP Scores Don’t Support Political Arguments
The release of the 2022 NAEP scores gives us plenty to discuss as they reflect the devastating effects of COVID-19 on student achievement.
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