Gov. Brian Kemp and State School Superintendent Richard Woods want to do away with high-stakes testing in Georgia’s public schools. Today, Kemp announced a plan that would cut five mandatory standardized tests, including four in high school. The proposed legislation would also limit testing to the last five weeks of the school year in order to maximize instruction time.
“Too often, our educators – who are literally on the front lines of serving the next generation – feel like they’re not heard,” said Kemp during the announcement Feb. 4 in Atlanta. “With the introduction of this legislation, our message is clear: we hear you, and we have your back.”
Other changes proposed in the bill include giving schools greater flexibility on when high school students take their writing assessment. Currently, students have to take it their junior year. The proposed legislation would allow it to be given any time between the 9th and 12th grades.
The legislation also would shorten the length of the Georgia Milestones.
Kemp said reducing high-stakes testing will “remove heavy burdens in the classroom” for teachers and students. “This bill will work to restore parents’ peace of mind about their children’s education, and let educators focus on what they do best: teaching our children,” he added.
State School Superintendent Richard Woods strongly supports the proposal.
“As a former teacher, and as someone who has spoken with hundreds of Georgia’s classroom teachers over the last five years, I believe so strongly that our students and teachers are worth more than the results of one test, taken on one day, during one school year,” Woods said.
The state’s largest teacher association – Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE) – says the group supports fewer tests. After the governor’s announcement PAGE said, “As a long-term proponent of assessment reform, PAGE is pleased by this announcement and looks forward to evaluating the bill.”
