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RELEASE: Rep. Peggy Bennett introduces bill to reduce state-mandated K-12 testing

Monday, March 2, 2015
ST. PAUL, MN—In an effort to reduce the testing burden on schools, teachers, and students, Rep. Peggy Bennett, R-Albert Lea, introduced legislation Monday to streamline and eliminate a number of state-mandated testing requirements. The bill, HF1392, would save the state money in testing costs by reducing the number of overall state-mandated tests and making the ACT Plus Writing test optional.
 
Bennett, who taught elementary school for more than 30 years in Albert Lea prior to being elected to the legislature, said her bill is a response to teachers, students, and parents who feel that students are overburdened with state-mandated testing that forces students and teachers to spend many hours in the classroom preparing for excessive testing, resulting in a great deal of stress for many students across the state.
 
"We need to make sure Minnesota's testing requirements are giving educators and school districts the information they need about student achievement, and work to eliminate those that are unnecessary or not aligned to our high state academic standards," Bennett said. "Any teacher, student, or parent can tell you that kids are taking more tests than ever before, and that the state's excessive testing requirements are a roadblock—not an aid—to student learning and achievement."
 
Bennett said that as a former teacher, she has heard a great deal from colleagues and administrators about the negative impact of ever-growing state-mandated testing requirements. Governor Dayton was quoted last year during his State of the State address as saying "our state went backwards" by adding additional state-mandated testing, passed by the DFL-controlled legislature in 2013.
 
"We need to be giving teachers more time to teach their regular curriculum, rather than being asked to teach to more and more state-mandated tests," Bennett added. "This bill reduces the number of tests, saves school districts money, and restores state standards-based assessments that provide valuable feedback to teachers, parents, and students. I look forward to what I hope will be a productive discussion with my colleagues, the Governor, school districts, teachers, parents, and students about how we can streamline the number of state tests, and ensure the tests we do mandate are giving us the valuable feedback we need to track student achievement."

The bill was referred to the Education Innovation Policy Committee, where Bennett serves as Vice Chair. Education Innovation Policy Committee Chair Rep. Sondra Erickson, R-Princeton, is also a co-author of the bill. Bennett said she anticipates a hearing in the coming weeks.
 
A COMPARISON OF TESTING REQUIREMENTS:
 
Current Testing Requirements:
 
  • State standards testing in reading and math for grades 3 through 8
  • State standards testing for reading in grade 10
  • State standards testing for math in grade 11
  • High school science exam
  • Career and College Readiness Testing for grades 8 and 10
  • Diagnostic testing for certain students in grade 10
  • Graduation required ACT Plus Writing in grade 11
 
Proposed Testing Requirements under Rep. Bennett's HF1392:
 
  • Maintain state standards testing in reading and math for grades 3 through 8
  • Maintain state standards testing for reading and math in high school
  • Restore state standards testing for writing in high school
  • Maintain high school science exam
  • Optional ACT Plus Writing in grades 11 or 12
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