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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 2, 2024 02:11 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Paul Friel |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Online Standardized Tests |
| Standardized tests are a requirement for Pennsylvania students in grades 3-12. The goal of these assessments is to measure student achievement, gauge proficiency, and assist in identifying areas where students need additional support and instruction. However, the months long lag between the administration of these standardized tests and the availability of final assessment data means that the usefulness of the results has largely expired by time it is made available to the schools, with the students already being established in a new school year. This means we waste taxpayer dollars and mandate that schools waste energy and time on a process that fails to serve our students. To address this issue, my legislation would require that Pennsylvania schools administer standardized tests online and that the scores be reported back to the districts within 10 business days. Paper testing would still be available for students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and those learning English, as needed. My bill would also appropriate funding for schools that need to purchase technological devices and broadband services to administer this online testing. Online standardized tests are faster to grade, cost-effective, and most students are already familiar with computer technology and devices in their daily lives. Please join me in supporting this legislation to decrease test costs and increase efficiency for Pennsylvania public schools. |
Introduced as HB2007