The Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA, signed into law by President Barack Obama on December 10, 2015, includes a number of key provisions that are aimed at addressing the problems with today’s testing systems in schools. The new law, which replaces No Child Left Behind, provides an opportunity for states and districts to move toward more coherent, aligned assessment systems that support student learning. There is a risk, however, that states and districts might not take advantage of this opportunity and might instead continue on their current paths. A forthcoming report from the Center for American Progress looks deeply at this issue, examining the problems and possibilities around testing and providing specific recommendations to help federal, state, and local leaders realize the promise of testing to support stronger systems of teaching and learning as they implement ESSA. Ultimately, states and districts should develop coherent, aligned systems of formative, interim, and summative assessments that meaningfully track student progress throughout the year and ultimately drive better student learning gains.
Please join us at the Center for American Progress for a discussion of the challenges and opportunities associated with testing as the federal government, states, and school districts implement the new Every Student Succeeds Act.
Welcoming remarks:
Catherine Brown, Vice President of Education Policy, Center for American Progress
In conversation:
MaryEllen Elia, Commissioner, New York State Education Department
Chris Minnich, Executive Director, Council for Chief State School Officers
Chris Bergfalk, Teacher, Washington D.C. Public Schools
Michael Cohen, President, Achieve
George Bickert, Superintendent, Ruidoso Municipal School District, New Mexico
Janel George, Senior Education Policy Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund