School board member John Lee Evans is proposing that San Diego Unified take a hard look at how many tests it requires — and whether they help teachers help their students achieve. The school district requires its own assessments on top of the standardized tests that are mandated by California and used to track progress under No Child Left Behind.
Teachers have complained that the volume of testing from the school district and the state has grown excessive and consumes too much of their time. Testing proponents argue that the data is an essential tool to track the progress of students and that the time is worth its benefits.
Evans is proposing that San Diego Unified staff work closely with teachers to decide which tests should be mandated and which should be optional, and develop a plan based on their input. No immediate action is planned.
“Let’s plot it out carefully for next year and have find out exactly what teachers want,” Evans said. “A lot of teachers are feeling very overburdened and stretched.”
The proposal will go to the school board on Tuesday.