Assessment

What Tests Does Each State Require?

By Catherine Gewertz — February 15, 2017 | Updated: March 05, 2019 1 min read
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Education Week has tracked states’ testing plans in math and English/language arts since 2014. This year’s survey found a continued, steady erosion in the number of states using the PARCC or Smarter Balanced common-core-aligned tests: five fewer than in 2017. The number of states requiring students to take college-admissions tests, or pass an exit exam to graduate, is holding steady. (For an interactive breakdown of states’ 2016-17 testing plans, click here.)

Below are highlights from the latest survey of testing plans. Scroll down to see the full results for 2019.

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    Which States Use PARCC or Smarter Balanced?

    Only ONE-THIRD of the states use the PARCC or Smarter Balanced tests.

    23assessment parcc smarterbalanced map 700

    • Fifteen states and the District of Columbia will administer PARCC or Smarter Balanced tests in the spring of 2019. That’s five fewer than in 2016 and 2017.
    • Thirty-two states use tests they designed or bought.
    • Three states give hybrid tests. Two mix their own questions with items from the PARCC/New Meridian item bank, and one adds its own questions onto the full Smarter Balanced test.

    Read more about the current state of common-core tests.

    Learn more about the states using PARCC or Smarter Balanced tests.
    Learn more about the states using non-consortium tests.
    Learn more about the states mixing PARCC and Smarter Balanced with their own items.


    Which States Require Students to Take the SAT or ACT?

    Requiring the ACT or SAT is HOLDING STEADY after a rise in popularity.

    23assessment sat act map 700

    • Twenty-five states require students to take the SAT or ACT, the same number as in 2016 and 2017. That number had been climbing steadily—from seven states a decade ago— as states looked for ways to encourage students to go to college.
    Learn more about the states that require SAT or ACT.


    Which States Require Exit Exams?

    Requiring exit exams is HOLDING STEADY after a decline.

    23assessment exit exams map 700

    • Thirteen states require students to pass a test to get a high school diploma, one more than in 2017. In some states, students can use projects or portfolios to meet this requirement. Exit exams used to be more popular: In 2002, more than half the states required them.
    Learn more about the states that require exit exams.


    What Tests Are States Requiring in 2018-19?

    Below is a complete breakdown of results from our state survey.

    Design & Visualization: Stacey Decker & Vanessa Solis
    A version of this article appeared in the February 15, 2017 edition of Education Week as What Tests Do States Require in 2018-19?

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