Standardized testing in English Language Arts and Math took place this year in January and March, respectively, but the testing calendar is set to change next year, when both tests will be offered in May, according to information sent to school principals by the Department of Education.
According to the DOE's Principal's Weekly, The State's Board of Regents decided to move both tests far later in the school calendar, to May. (The State's official 2009-10 calendar still shows the dates in January and March, however.) For many concerned that test prep already occupies too much space in the classroom, the delayed testing dates can't be welcome news. For those who endorse the predictive strength of standardized test scores, more time to prepare likely seems like a better way to raise test scores. What's not known is the ripple effect on the Department of Education Progress Reports, which use test-score data to assess student and school progress, and how the new testing calendar will affect the release of test scores to families and schools.
The precise dates are not yet determined, but DOE says they will post to their testing calendar (public access restricted) when they're decided. We're curious about the impact of the new schedule on the DOE's assessment and accountability measures; details to follow when we learn more.
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