Dive Brief:

• A new survey by Perfrmance Matters shows 79% of educators are planning to develop assessment for courses states do not currently evaluate.
• The survey also found primary concerns for teachers are assessment quality, assessment costs, a lack of teacher involvement in the creation of assessments and a lack of technology to support online assessments in schools.
• Other concerns include security issues related to assessment testing, concerns over paper-based processes for administering assessments and incompatible systems to support assessment creation and data management.

Dive Insight:

Having realistic expectations in relation to accountability assessments is crucial, Stuart Kahl, the founding principal of Measured Progress, recently wrote in a sponsored feature for Education Dive. It's common sense that a single test can't measure everything, and it's wise for school systems to consider this. "The mindset suggesting that tests can serve numerous purposes and solve any and all major education-related problems has no doubt contributed to today’s overuse and misuse of tests," Kahl wrote.

That said, the U.S. Department of Education has issued new assessment guidance under President Obama's Testing Action Plan. A video featuring then-acting Secretary of Education Dr. John B. King Jr. discussed ways states can get rid of poor quality, redundant and “unhelpful” testing. The YouTube clip, announced via press release, came alongside a written letter setting guidelines for states to implement the new federal Testing Action Plan.

States should try to take advantage of the flexibility provided under the Every Student Succeeds Act, and schools and districts should identify an individual mix of assessments and professional development that would work well for their own communities.