Parents and school officials have called for Indiana to cancel standardized testing, saying learning loss during the remote schooling renders the assessments useless.
But Indiana Department of Education spokesperson Holly Lawson said learning loss makes standardized testing even more important.
“We need to have a measure of where students are right now,” Lawson said. “There’s no doubt that the last year has been challenging for everyone — educators, students, parents.”
The pandemic has exacerbated inequalities in education, Lawson said, especially affecting students of color and low-income students. Assessment data can be used to identify the students who need the most support.
Lawson said Indiana schools will receive $1 billion in the second round of federal CARES Act funding. Schools can use the funds broadly, such as on safety measures or initiatives to address learning loss.
The U.S. Department of Education announced standardized testing will resume in person this spring after being canceled last year due to COVID-19. However, federal accountability requirements will be relaxed this year.
The Indiana Department of Education submitted a waiver request to the federal government. If granted, the state wouldn’t have to meet the required 95% participation rate, and schools wouldn’t receive letter grade ratings this school year.
Additionally, Lawson said, state legislators are considering repealing the ISTEP requirement for high school graduation this year.
