Following Obama Administration’s Announcement on Test Reductions, New Brief Considers Alternative Accountability Approaches

BOULDER, CO (October 25, 2015) – Yesterday, the Obama Administration acknowledged its own role in escalating the nation’s over-reliance on high-stakes, test-based accountability policies. It issued a Testing Action Plan for states, including a section on “reducing the reliance on student test scores through our rules and executive actions,” backing away somewhat from the Administration’s…

State graduation rates continue to climb

Even though the high school Class of 2013 reached a record on-time graduation rate of 81 percent,  it appears like the Class of 2014 is poised to pass their classmates. According to preliminary data released this afternoon from the U.S. Department of Education, 36 states saw improvements in their on-time high school graduates rates over…

Florida School Boards Association asks Gov. Scott to waive consequences from 2015 testing

The Florida School Boards Association has formally adopted a resolution calling on Gov. Rick Scott to waive the use of 2015 state test results for school grades, personnel evaluations, student progression and other uses. The group also built upon superintendents’ request for a full review of the state’s education accountability program, which several groups have…

School boards want test scores out of accountability measures

TALLAHASSEE — A stakeholder group representing school boards is formally pushing the state to halt the use of students’ test scores in accountability measures like teacher evaluations and school grades. The Florida School Boards Association’s legislative committee approved a resolution last week calling on Gov. Rick Scott and the state Department of Education to “waive”…