Reuters – Staff Writer
“Washington state, which already lost an exemption from some requirements of U.S. education law, is asking not to be penalized for lower test scores this year as districts switch to a standardized exam tethered to tougher standards, an official said on Monday. The request comes as school officials face vocal public resistance to the test as they transition to Smarter Balanced exams, which are aligned to the Common Core multi-state education standards in English and math. It also comes after hundreds of Seattle high school students boycotted the exam. “The test is more rigorous than previous tests we’ve had,” said Nathan Olson, a spokesman for state Superintendent Randy Dorn. “We shouldn’t have to continue with penalties during this transition period.” Washington state public schools are required to give the tests to meet federal education requirements under No Child Left Behind, a law signed in 2002 requiring annual standardized tests in American schools.”(more)