Biden administration won't let states cancel standardized testing but will allow delays
Source: CBS News
BY KATE SMITH
FEBRUARY 23, 2021 / 2:12 PM / CBS NEWS
The Biden administration announced Monday that state education departments would have flexibility surrounding standardized testing this year, but would not have broad authority to cancel those examinations.
The highly-anticipated policy decision is a reversal from the Trump administration, which widely allowed districts to cancel standardized testing last year as the pandemic prompted widespread shifts to remote learning.
This year, the Department of Education will "not invit[e] blanket waivers of assessments," Ian Rosenblum, the acting assistant education secretary, said in a three-page letter sent to state education heads. Instead, the department will offer modifications and alternatives to annual standardized tests, including pushing the exams until the summer or fall, administering the tests remotely and offering shortened versions.
"It is urgent to understand the impact of COVID-19 on learning," Rosenblum said in the letter. "We know, however, that some schools and school districts may face circumstances in which they are not able to safely administer statewide summative assessments this spring using their standard practices."
Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/standardized-testing-flexibility-department-education/
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