News Brief
State Expects Common Core Testing Costs to Be Lower Than National Estimates
Kansas City Kansan (07/26/13) Hancock, PeterThe cost to administer the Common Core-aligned tests in math and reading to Kansas students will be higher than what the state is paying now but not as high as some recent national reports suggest. "We're expecting it to be more than what we're paying now because we're asking the assessment to do more," Kansas Education Commissioner Diane DeBacker said. The state Department of Education spends roughly $4.6 million a year to administer all of its reading, math, science, and social studies tests to about 250,000 students, but those tests have been multiple-choice exams that are quickly and easily scored by machines. The Common Core-aligned tests require more writing and include more complex questions. "When you enhance a test or want to make it more relevant and informative, then you have to look at constructive responses. You have to look at a test that's more interactive, so students can be more engaged in the assessments," DeBacker said. "That's going to cost more money." Based on estimates provided by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, a group of 22 states that is jointly developing one version of the Common Core tests, it would cost Kansas an additional $11.2 million a year to test its students with the basic test package, or $13.6 million for the enhanced package.
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