The Center for Assessment has made a strong case for state testing. We fully support that stance. But as the Center acknowledged in that paper, current state achievement tests are not perfect. This is true because state tests, since at least 1994, have been designed to meet specific federal requirements and operate within established constraints.
The current moment presents an opportunity for improvement: The U.S. Department of Education has invited states to seek flexibility from certain legal and regulatory provisions that have constrained them. In this paper, we’ll describe the potential opportunities and risks of several assessment options that might become available. We’ll also discuss some types of flexibility that might unintentionally undermine student learning goals if states pursue them.
We offer these options based on what we know now, as well as what research and practice teach us about high-quality student assessment.
