State Sen. Paul Farrow said the Legislature may look into switching standardized tests in the future for elementary and junior high school students. They are set to take the new Common Core aligned Smarter Balanced test this spring.
In a recent letter to the state Department of Public Instruction, the Pewaukee Republican said he also wants the agency to seek a federal exemption from using data from the new test this spring as an assessment measure in the new school report cards and to rate teacher performance.
Farrow said the new tests are too expensive.
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“DPI is saying that it’s about $7 million more for total for the testing package that they’re looking for in the next budget and I’m being asked to look at a test that I don’t agree with,” said Farrow.
DPI did not respond to a request for comment, but told the Wisconsin State Journal that the agency is looking into other tests because the legislature may not fully fund Smarter Balanced.
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