Proposal to Reduce Testing Advances Despite Evidence of Positive Impact
A standard pencil and a machine-readable paper form test. (Photo by Andy Barbour/Pexels))
Legislation that would reduce the number of standardized tests some Tennessee students take is advancing in the State House.
In its meeting Tuesday morning, the House K-12 Subcommittee advanced House Bill 2422 to the full Education Committee on a vote that split both parties. Representative Sam McKenzie, D-Knoxville, strayed from his fellow Democrat Yusuf Hakeem, D-Chattanooga, to vote against the bill along with Representatives Mark White, R-Memphis, and William Slater, R-Gallatin.
Bill sponsor Representative Greg Martin, R-Hixson, said the legislation would establish a two-year pilot program involving elementary and middle school students from 10 of the highest performing school districts to evaluate whether administering fewer district- and state-mandated tests could result in greater academic success for students.
“Students, families, and educators widely agree that the level of standardized testing occurring in Tennessee Public Schools is just too much,” Martin said. “Particularly within grades K through eight, some students may be taking 22 standardized tests across subject areas of ELA (English & Language Arts), math, science and social studies throughout the year.”
Tennessee’s Testing History
Tennessee adopted the state’s existing Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) system more than eight years ago with the intention of providing students with a greater challenge and ensuring more transparent data for families on their children's educational progress.
Under the current assessment system, elementary and middle school students TCAP in English language arts (ELA), math, and science assessments annually. Middle school students additionally take TCAP social studies assessments.
Last year, representatives from the Tennessee Department of Education testified that the rigor of the state’s testing system directly led Tennessee to improve its standing in national tests. That includes jumping nearly twenty states on the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) since implementing the new system.
Local Superintendent Expresses Support
Despite the evidence of the testing system’s positive impact, Martin’s bill has found support from the leader of one of the state’s largest school districts.
Hamilton County Schools Superintendent Justin Roberts spoke during Tuesday’s meeting, emphasizing that the while he believes that standardized testing is necessary, he hopes the legislation will find the balance between skills-based assessments and standards-based assessments.
“I appreciate the many discussions this body has had about testing accountability,” Roberts said. “Many superintendents across the state and school boards are having this conversation about (how to) keep that accountability while at the same time reducing the amount of testing.”
Opposition From Lawmakers Who’ve Studied Testing
Lawmakers held multiple meetings last year to study testing as part of the Advisory Committee on Innovations in K-12 Education. That committee appeared to reach consensus that the state would be better served preserving its testing system and instead, evaluate reductions in the tests local school districts administer.
Though each district varies in how many local tests are given, roughly 98 percent of the tests a student takes in a given year are local, not state tests.
Representative William Slater, R-Gallatin, served on the committee and he voiced his doubts about Martin’s proposed pilot program’s ability to provide sufficient information to set statewide policy. It would only include students in the highest performing school districts and there are some concerns that it wouldn’t provide a true “apples to apples” comparison.
“I'm not sure that we're going to gain from this proposal, from this pilot, enough information to help us when it comes to setting policy,” Slater said. “I appreciate you bringing this legislation. I'm going to have to vote against it, only because I'm not sure that it's complete enough.”
Slater suggested that House Bill 2277 would provide a more comprehensive solution. It would require public schools to annually submit a schedule of all local assessments they administer. This information would then be provided to the public online.
