An assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Education said Friday that his agency鈥檚 inclination is not to grant states waivers from federally mandated tests for the upcoming school year like it did in the spring.
Speaking on at the Education Writers Association鈥檚 National Seminar, Jim Blew, the assistant secretary for planning, evaluation, and policy development, stressed the importance of testing beyond accountability. And he expressed from the Council of Chief State School Officers about the importance of assessments for learning; that July 20 statement said that 鈥渆ven during a pandemic鈥� assessments 鈥渟erve as an important tool in our education system.鈥�
In March, as schools shut down in-person classes around the country due to the coronavirus pandemic, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy to all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico from having to administer certain annual exams as required by federal law. But concerns about the pandemic鈥檚 impact on the 2020-21 school year have grown, as have sentiments in some quarters that states should get those waivers again, in order to focus on other educational needs.
Last month, for example, Georgia announced it for the upcoming year. In a joint statement, Gov. Brian Kemp and State School Superintendent Richard Woods, both Republicans, said that giving such tests would be 鈥渃ounterproductive鈥� and added that, 鈥淚n anticipation of a return to in-person instruction this fall, we believe schools鈥� focus should be on remediation, growth, and the safety of students. Every dollar spent on high-stakes testing would be a dollar taken away from the classroom.鈥�
South Carolina announced plans last month .
But during a question-and-answer session with reporters, Blew pointed to CCSSO鈥檚 statement and said that with respect to testing, 鈥淎ccountability aside, we need to know where students are so we can address their needs.鈥�
Blew then indicated it would be premature to grant waivers at this time from testing and said, 鈥淥ur instinct would not be to give those waivers鈥� from the exams, which are mandated under the Every Student Succeeds Act, the main federal K-12 law. 鈥淭here are so many benefits to testing and it allows for some transparency about how schools are performing and the issues we need to address, that our instinct would be to decline those waivers,鈥� Blew added.
The question of what to do about testing and a related subject鈥攁ccountability鈥攏ext year is garnering more attention from policy experts and others. On Friday, , the center鈥檚 Executive Director Scott Marion and Ajit Gopalakrishnan called for education officials to 鈥渟uspend standard accountability鈥� for the 2020-21 academic year, but to still give statewide achievement tests to 鈥渉elp us monitor the long-term trends in student achievement and growth.鈥�
Marion and Gopalakrishnan suggested focusing on several issues to help create 鈥渞e-envisioned accountability鈥� next year, including:
- 鈥淪chool districts鈥� plans to ensure the health and safety of students.鈥�
- 鈥淪chools and districts鈥� research-based plans to address students鈥� social and emotional needs.鈥�
- 鈥淪chool districts鈥� assurances that all students, whether in-person or remote, have legitimate access to high-quality curriculum and instruction.鈥�
- 鈥淪tates鈥� and districts鈥� evidence that all students have access to dependable internet access and devices.鈥�