(The Center Square) – Is Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal trying to cancel some state assessments of student learning? That's what the Washington Policy Center think tank is alleging in a blog, and what Reykdal's own office is vehemently denying.
In the Monday blog post, Washington Policy Center education director Liv Finne quoted Reykdal as saying, “…Higher Ed has never believed in them. Higher Ed has never accepted that Smarter Balance [state tests] mean anything to them…this experimenting with tests, Smarter Balance, End of Course, the WASL, that keeps coming and going because it [testing] actually means nothing…
“I am trying to figure out if I have the authority to exit us [from testing] on my own, or if that needs something else.”
The quote came from the most recent Washington State Board of Education meeting in Spokane. Reykdal was answering a question from board member Kevin Wang about state testing.
A recording of that meeting is available on the TVW website, with Wang asking Reykdal at 55:49. [end of quote]
But... our whole K-12 education system is built upon testing to prove the kids have accomplished the knowledge and skills of a high-school graduate. But who likes to be held accountable? When kids fail the question is - what did the system do for 13 years? So Reykdal is looking for a way out. And denies it.
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