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ODE: Cut Student Testing Time

The Ohio Department of Education has released a report recommending a cutback in the amount of time spent testing students each year. An average of 20 hours is spent testing students now.  Mark Urycki of member station WCPN in Cleveland reports.

The department wants state lawmakers to reduce testing and practice time by 20%, eliminate the Fall 3rd grade standardized reading test except for students who need them, and eliminate math and science diagnostic tests in the first three grades.   
 
Ohio’s own teacher evaluations add time as well with tests students take to show how much they learned over a year.   
Department of Ed spokesman John Charlton says they don’t want the evaluations to be overly burdensome. . .  
 
2 CHARLTON “I think there is some discussion to be had with that on as well and probably some choices to be made on what we’re going to prioritize, whether its students testing or a more robust or detailed teacher evaluation system.  I think it might be difficult to have both of those.” :14  
 
The report says 72% of testing comes from federal requirements like No Child Left Behind.  Parents, teachers, and administrators have ALL been complaining, saying it’s just too much time on tests.
 

Jim has been with WCBE since 1996. Before that he worked as a reporter at another Columbus radio station, and for three newspapers in Southwest Florida.
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