News Brief
Common Core: Idaho to Road-Test Exams in 2014
Idaho Education News (06/20/13) Corbin, ClarkIdaho Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna says schools will "field test" the new Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) tests, part of the transition to the Idaho Core Standards, in spring 2014. The current Idaho Standards Achievement Test will not be given next year unless it is linked to student graduation requirements. Luna says, "This is just one more step as we transition to higher standards and new assessments. Under current law, it appears that we have to give two tests to every student next year, and we've made it clear we're not giving two - we're giving one - because of student fatigue a number of other factors." The elimination of double-testing is supported by U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan as part of an effort to increase flexibility for states transitioning to new assessments. Idaho is a governing state of the SBAC, with Luna noting, "We've been heavily involved since day one." He says the state will not issue new five-star ratings for schools during the SBAC assessment field-testing period, and when the SBAC tests are administered for the first time in earnest in spring 2015, schools' accountability will be tied to the results. According to Luna, "We don't just want to spring the test on students if we haven't give them or educators enough time to prepare."
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