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<p>For years, a growing number of educators and administrators have been questioning the merits of standardized testing. Annual tests, often given in April or May, are required by state or federal agencies as a measure of school effectiveness. In some states, student performance is tied to funding, teacher evaluations and pay, or even as a gatekeeper for students to advance from grade to grade. When school shutdowns upended the education system in the spring of 2020, the assessments were swiftly postponed nationwide. The U.S. Department of Education gave K-12 schools a<a href="https://www.educationdive.com/news/states-move-toward-waiving-standardized-tests-for-2020-21/580570/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-value-of-standardized-tests-in-the-age-of-covid-19-2715153" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> <u>waiver for the spring 2020 standardized test</u></a> to release schools from the testing requirement.</p><p>Now, during a turbulent year of schools reopening, closing, and engaging in hybrid programs, many are questioning the place of standardized and high-stakes exams in K-12, as well as the importance of standardized college admission tests, especially with the renewed focus on equity and access in light of the pandemic.</p><h4>How Standardized Testing May Change</h4><p>State standardized testing is not going to go away forever, but it might look different in the future and be used for different purposes. <span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As it stands now, the US DOE will not allow full waivers for standardized testing requirements like it did in the spring of 2020. However, states can consider adaptations like extending the testing window, postponing testing until the fall, giving tests remotely, or offering a shortened version of the tests. </span>Whether the students are in school or not, administrations are going to have to figure out how to deliver the tests. In late July, the National Assessment Governing Board said it would move forward with administering the<a href="https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-value-of-standardized-tests-in-the-age-of-covid-19-2715153" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> <u>National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)</u></a>, which provides a nationally representative snapshot of national student progress in reading, math, science, and writing for grades 4 and 8.</p><p>What these test results mean — with the disruption of the previous year and no measure of growth for the 2019-2020 school year — is an open question. Do educators judge the results against the old criteria, or new criteria that takes school disruption into account?&nbsp;</p><p>The unknown for the 2020–2021 school year is how well students will perform on this year’s assessments versus 2018-2019, which was the last time students had a “normal” school year. Comparing this spring’s results to those in 2019 can give schools a clear idea of how much school disruption has affected students’ learning. Only then can states decide whether to continue to use the pre-COVID expectations as a measure of progress, or if expectations should be adjusted to account for learning loss.</p><h4>Standardized College Entrance Exams</h4><p><a href="https://edsource.org/2020/uc-suspends-sat-act-requirements-for-2021-applicants/627670?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-value-of-standardized-tests-in-the-age-of-covid-19-2715153" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><u>As many colleges announced their decisions to waive SAT and ACT requirements for admission for the 2021–2022 academic year</u></a>, the value and necessity of standardized college entrance exams also came into question. Even before the health crisis, many colleges had dropped the SAT/ACT from their admissions process. College prep testing emphasis in K<a href="https://edsource.org/2020/uc-suspends-sat-act-requirements-for-2021-applicants/627670?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-value-of-standardized-tests-in-the-age-of-covid-19-2715153" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><u>–</u></a>12 could change if more colleges move away from the admissions tests. However, that doesn’t mean that college prep disappears. Other aspects of the admissions process, including GPA, extracurricular activities and application essays, will carry more weight. Students need to ensure that their high school activities, report cards, and writing skills are up to par.</p><h4>Why Standardized Testing is Still Important</h4><p>Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever that state and district leaders work together to harmonize the purposes and uses of interim and state assessments. The uses of test data may change, but that doesn’t mean the data isn’t important. Parents look to test scores for additional information about their child’s education. Students use test scores to create targets for future academic growth. States need assessment results to help gauge the effectiveness of their schools. At the federal level, the information can be used to target states that may need additional support or resources. Outside of the classroom, a place like Sylvan Learning can give families assessment information that school tests may not. The results can help students determine where they are in their education, help them stay on track, or help them get ahead. Supplemental education and college prep, whether for the SAT/ACT or for sharpened writing skills, can provide the sense of normalcy that traditional schooling is missing right now.</p>

The Value of Standardized Tests in the Age of COVID-19

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Emily Levitt, Vice President of Education with Sylvan Learning, discusses why the future of standardized testing may look different from what schools and children are accustomed to.

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The Value of Standardized Tests in the Age of COVID-19

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