Westerville City School District Board of Education members on Monday discussed the merits of boycotting this year's administration of mandated state tests. They then unanimously approved a resolution urging the Ohio General Assembly to waive all state-mandated standardized testing requirements for the current school year. The resolution also encourages lawmakers to request a testing waiver from the U.S. Department of Education and declares the Board's support for House Bills 67 and 40. These bills would fulfill both requests and declare an emergency, thereby making the measures effective immediately.
“In talking with principals about everything we're doing right now, state testing rises to the top of their list of concerns,” said Superintendent Dr. John R. Kellogg. “Testing is a logistics challenge in its best year, to arrange the proctoring of specialized testing conditions for students who need such accommodations, for scheduling makeups, for the extended time that's needed...it's a logistics nightmare in a regular year.”
Kellogg said he also has spoken with several community members who had questions and concerns about state testing this year. He noted that there's no benefit to the state's direction to test right now, and if the purpose of testing truly is to determine where students are academically, this can best be accomplished locally through the district's own assessment of students. View the Board's discussion on the district's YouTube Channel and read the resolution here.