This topic would ideally reach educators, administrators, and parents of school aged students. Educators could benefit from information on required testing in schools to better understand the reasoning behind standardized testing and formative assessment and the benefits it can have for students' academic success. Education, as a whole, has made a large push towards standardized testing for students grades 3 and up. This push has resulted in many educators leaving the profession and added stress for teachers, students, administrators, and parents. This stress has many negative effects on the mental health of these groups of people. By taking a deeper look on the reasoning for standardized testing and the benefits that can come from the results, a better understanding can be gained by teachers, students, parents and administrators. 

The topic of testing in schools is important because many people do not see the benefit of this stressful aspect of education. Testing in schools does create stress for many people, but the data gained from the results can assist in forming instructional strategies and curriculum that creates the most academic achievement. I chose this topic because I feel that giving educators and parents a better understanding of testing can help create a more inclusive community of understanding, resulting in higher achievement for students. 

These best practices for testing in schools could create a more accurate outcome for testing and the results. 

Best practices for testing in schools could include:

An emerging issue in the area of testing in schools that educators should watch to see how it plays out is how COVID-19 and virtual learning affect testing procedures and administration of the tests. Due to the pandemic, schools and legislature have to decide if they are going to continue to have Student Success Initiative grades where students must pass to be promoted to the next grade level or if they will put an end to standardized testing in schools. Testing results are likely to be invalid this school year and the next few years due to students learning from home and not receiving normal instruction like they would in the classroom. Administrators and educators will be responsible for assessing students and determining current instructional levels during this school year. This issue could impact the work of administrators in that they will have a more intense job of identifying struggling students and developing interventions for the gaps. School districts report cards will also be invalid because there will not be a continuation of the results from last school year. Will schools be able to rise to the challenge of testing after students have been home for three months, or will testing in schools be eliminated altogether?

 

Lisa Bessent, Elementary Principal, Wylie ISD, https://www.wyliebulldogs.org/domain/140 

Reference: Association, N. (2020, June 23). ESSA and Testing. Retrieved September 22, 2020, from https://www.nea.org/resource-library/essa-and-testing

Link: https://www.nea.org/resource-library/essa-and-testing 

Summary: Every student Succeeds Act is working to reduce standardized testing and the stress that it puts on teachers, students, and administration. Seven states are piloting new assessments that target learning taking place in classrooms instead of teachers teaching to the tests. Along with the controversy of testing, parents need to be informed of their opt-out option for standardized testing. By directing assessments in the direction of summative student knowledge, teachers and students will benefit from the data gathered.

Modan, N. (2020, August 27). Fast Forward: Will COVID-19 trigger shift from standardized assessments? Retrieved September 21, 2020, from https://www.educationdive.com/news/fast-forward-will-covid-19-trigger-shift-from-standardized-assessments/583907/

Modan, N. (2020, August 12). The value of assessment in an uncertain school year. Retrieved September 21, 2020, from https://www.educationdive.com/news/accelerate-dont-remediate-the-value-of-assessment-in-an-uncertain-school/583230/

Source of Law: Federal Statute

Citation: Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, 20 USC § 6301

Link: https://www.congress.gov/114/plaws/publ95/PLAW-114publ95.pdf

Source of Law: State Statute

Citation: Public School System Accountability, 39 Tex. Educ. Code § 39

Link: https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.39.htm

Source of Law: Constitutional Law 

Citation: U.S. Const. amend. XIV 

Link: https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/amendmentxiv

Citation: Abilene Independent School District (July, 2020) Employee Handbook. Equal Educational Opportunities. Retrieved from https://www.abileneisd.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Abilene-ISD-2020-2021-Employee-Handbook-1.pdf

Link: https://www.abileneisd.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Abilene-ISD-2020-2021-Employee-Handbook-1.pdf

Summary:  As stated in the school board policy, Abilene ISD will adhere to all standardized testing requirements. The district will train teachers on the protocol of administering a test and will ensure all testing validity. 

Reference: Opting Out of Standardized Tests. (2019, November). Retrieved September 21, 2020, from https://www.tasb.org/services/legal-services/tasb-school-law-esource/instruction/documents/opt_out_standardized_tests.pdf

Summary: Standardized testing has created stress for students, teachers, and school districts as their evaluations are tied into student results. The stress standardized testing causes for some students has caused parents to opt out of testing. While parents have the decided to opt out, the decision comes with consequences.  Standardized testing is required as stated in Texas Education Code section 26. Students could face the consequences of opting out of standardized testing when it comes to advancing to the next grade or even graduating. Schools districts and administrators must make the decision on how they plan to handle these cases of students opting out of standardized testing. 

US Department of Education. (2013). Testing Integrity Symposium: Issues for Best Practices. Retrieved September 21, 2020, from https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2013/2013454.pdf

Reference: Educators’ Code of Ethics, 19 Tex. Admin. Code § 247

Link: https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.ViewTAC?tac_view=4&ti=19&pt=7&ch=247&rl=Y

Summary: This standard connects to a dilemma that could arise for  standardized testing in schools because educators must comply with all laws. Many educators and administrators may not agree with standardized assessments and the intensity, but as an educator, the code must be followed. Educators and administrators could face consequences if this code were not followed. 

Source of Law: Judicial Law

Citation: GI Forum v. Texas Education Agency (2000)

Link: https://casetext.com/case/gi-forum-v-texas-education-agency-wdtex-2000