California, which got into a dust-up with the U.S. Department of Education over its spring testing plans, has revised its approach as part of an application for a federal waiver.
Golden State officials say they’re now aiming to involve 95 percent of students in required grades in the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium’s field tests in both mathematics and English/language arts.
The state’s previous plan would have tested students in either math or literacy, not both. That led U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to threaten withholding a portion of the state’s Title I money. He wants every student in tested grades to take either the field test or California’s current test in both subjects.
