ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - Teachers and lawmakers will be highlighting measures to reduce standardized testing demands in schools.
They have scheduled a news conference for Thursday afternoon.
One of the bills would limit the amount of time that could be devoted to federal, state and locally mandated tests for each grade to 2 percent of a school year's instruction time.
Another would end the state's ability to mandate that districts include PARCC scores in teacher and principal evaluations. PARCC stands for Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers.
A separate bill would change the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment to a sampling test. The measures are set to be heard in the House Ways and Means Committee Thursday afternoon.
Virginia
A measure to reduce the emphasis Virginia high schools put on standardized testing is advancing through the General Assembly.
The Virginian-Pilot reports that state Sen. John Miller's bill aimed at requiring the state Board of Education to stress critical thinking over standardized testing was approved Wednesday by a House committee.
The legislation sailed through the Senate on unanimous vote. On Wednesday a House committee approved it 19 to 3.
The bill also directs education officials to emphasize internships and technical training, something for which Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe has been a vocal advocate.
