States Spend Nearly Half-a-Billion On Testing

By David J. Hoff

States spend almost half-a-billion dollars a year on testing, according to a new estimate, and are bracing for additional costs if President Bush's proposed education plan is enacted.

In a survey of 50 state education officials, stateline.org—a Web site that reports on state policy issues—found that states are spending $400 million in the current fiscal year to develop, administer, and score their current testing programs.

That cost is sure to go up if Congress passes President Bush's education plan, which would require states to assess every student in grades 3-8 in...