This week, the North Carolina State Board of Education can take the first step toward reducing the state-required testing that so burdens our students, teachers and schools.

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) has recommended that the Board eliminate Standard 6 from state teacher evaluations. This standard requires that every teacher in the state be given a ranking based on student standardized test results.

The addition of Standard 6, under pressure from the federal government, led to a massive expansion of standardized testing in our state. That expansion included the North Carolina Final Exams given in many high school courses, and many other exams in earlier grades.

NCDPI has not yet decided to eliminate any state tests. But eliminating Standard 6 will make it far more possible to reduce testing down the road. It is an extremely important step.

 
More detailed information on the problems with test-based teacher evaluation is available here. The text of the NCDPI recommendation is available here.

 
The board will take up the issue on Thursday, February 5.

Please contact board members to encourage them to take this important step. Information on the members, along with contact information, can be found here.