The coming deluge of tests
Sent to the San Diego Union-Tribune, May 22, 2012
I wonder how many people are aware of the amount of testing that will eventually accompany the Common Core Standards (“State plans big changes to testing, instruction,” May 21). It will be more than we have ever seen on this planet, and much more than the already excessive amount demanded by No Child Left Behind (NCLB).
Testing done at the end of the school year will be expanded to include all subjects that can be tested and more grade levels. As noted in Union-Tribune, there will be “interim” tests given through the year and there may be pretests in the fall to measure growth through the school year.
This means about a 20-fold increase over NCLB.
The cost of implementing these electronically delivered national tests will be enormous, bleeding money from legitimate and valuable school activities.
There is no evidence that all this testing will improve things. In fact, the evidence we have now strongly suggests
