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Facebook question of the week: Should students be required to take state assessment tests during pandemic?

By Wesley LeBlanc wesley@opcfla.com
Posted 3/3/21

CLAY COUNTY – President Joe Biden announced last week that state assessment tests will resume, despite the effects COVID-19 has had on education.

Testing was suspended a year ago as a result of …

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Facebook question of the week: Should students be required to take state assessment tests during pandemic?


Posted

CLAY COUNTY – President Joe Biden announced last week that state assessment tests will resume, despite the effects COVID-19 has had on education.

Testing was suspended a year ago as a result of the pandemic, but Biden’s administration has decided to resume the standardized procedures. It was suspended last year as a result of the increase in remote learning, but Biden’s education administration has opened up regulations to allow accommodations around remote learning and other former barriers.

We asked Clay Today readers what they thought of this change for this week’s Facebook Question of the Week. Here’s what they had to say:

“The schools won’t be affected by scores, however, the students who are in a mandatory retention year will be,” reader P.G. Shaffer said. “Seems really fair after the year of education these kids have been dealing with.”

Shaffer touches on an important point in that despite having to take the standardized state assessments, the scores and results won’t count against schools. States can also administer variations of the test, be it a shorter version, remote versions, or they can even delay the testing date to allow students and teachers to have more preparation time.

The Department of Education also is allowing states to request waivers of the requirement that this testing data be used by the state to identify failing schools. This waiver also exempts schools from the requirement that at least 95% of students at a school take the test. Gov. Ron DeSantis hasn’t yet requested this waiver, nor has he publicly touched on the possibility.

“Florida has not yet asked for a waiver,” reader Lee Smith said. “Call your state rep to complain.”

Heather Bushee said the return of testing amidst the pandemic is not fair, and that schools need to be held to the same standards as the children.

“Kids have not been getting the proper education,” Jenn-Raul Torres said. “Every two minutes, kids are being told to stay home because someone had COVID, therefore missing school.”

Brandy Worley said school is already stressful enough and that this will add an unnecessary level of stress to the children now.

“It’s not fair to the kids or the teachers,” Liberty Nobles said.

What do you think of this move by Biden’s educational administration? Is it the right call? Should tests be suspended for another year? Let us know by responding to the Facebook Question of the Week and keep an eye on the official Clay Today Newspaper Facebook page for next week’s question.