Missouri plans to use CARES Act money to implement new ‘optional’ standardized test
Article submitted by MACTE President Elect, Dr. Laurie Kingsley, University of Missouri
If you haven’t heard, Missouri plans to use a large chunk (approx. 10 million) of CARES Act money to implement a new ‘optional’ standardized test for students this fall. You can also sign a petition and read more here: https://www.change.org/p/missouri-department-of-elementary-and-secondary-education-dese-stop-missouri-s-dese-from-spending-cares-act-funding-on-a-standardized-test?fbclid=IwAR1v1bDnJ1WWxuQ-NW-jjOJFqQWLXEGf1E2EUnYVTuGE8_6wweIUACGVkAM
If you agree, please feel free to use the template below and share with your legislators and the ones I have listed here:
Senator Caleb Rowden (MO senator) caleb.rowden@senate.mo.gov
Senator Cindi O’Laughlin (Chair of the Senate Education Committee) cindy.olaughlin@senate.mo.gov
Representative Chuck Bayse (Chair of the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee) Chuck.Basye@house.mo.gov
Thanks for reading!
Laurie
Dear (xxx),
I have recently become aware that DESE plans to use millions of tax dollars to implement a new ‘optional’ standardized test that could be given to students this fall in response to the COVID-19 crisis. The intent is to measure ‘learning loss’. This will use approximately $10 million of the CARES Act money that the federal government has given Missouri to help schools and students prepare for the new school year, something teachers already will have assessments for and already will plan to do. I cannot imagine that there is one teacher, one student, or one parent in the entire state of Missouri that thinks what we really need to be spending our disaster relief money on is a new standardized test.
Is this something that you have signed off on?
It is important for you to know that administering a new standardized test is not just an unnecessary waste of tax money, but is also something that is likely to be detrimental to teaching and learning. On top of the unprecedented levels of anxiety everyone is going to be feeling about being back to school, the assessment will cause additional stress. Teachers need to be focused on adapting learning, supporting students, and helping them learn.
Please call the governor and share this with your colleagues so that this can be stopped. Missouri taxpayers deserve better, and most importantly our children and teachers deserve better.
Feel free to contact me with any questions (XXX-XXX-XXXX), and thank you for your consideration,