Less Testing, More Learning --- getting a serious look in Annapolis this year!

The sheer number of tests, and volume of time spent preparing for and taking tests, K-12 students take in their school life is getting SO much attention.  "Less Testing, More Learning" is one of the Maryland State Education Association's (MSEA) primary advocacy initiatives this year:

http://lesstestingmorelearning.com/

Many parents, students and teachers are passionate about the need to decrease time spent testing, increase time spent learning, and ensure that students are only assessed when that assessment will help inform instruction and provide data essential to optimize each student's learning.

There are a package of bills in the General Assembly this year all addressing the "Less Testing, More Learning" mantra.  Two legislators leading the charge on these bills bring a great deal of serious experience and gravitas to the issue-- Delegates Eric Ebersole and Eric Luedtke - both public school teachers.

Here is information about the testing bills percolating in the General Assembly as of 2/2:

HB141/SB407 – Education Accountability Act – Limits on Testing -   sponsor Del. Luedtke

The bill would require the State Board of Education to adopt regulations limiting the total amount of time that may be devoted to federal, State, and locally mandated tests for each grade to 2% of the specified minimum required annual instructional hours.

Here is the link to the bill’s page on the GA website:

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=billpage&tab=subject3&id=hb0141&stab=01&ys=2016RS

The bill is assigned to the House Ways and Means committee, and is set for an initial hearing on 2/11. Here is a link to the Ways and Means committee members – each name is a hyperlink to their contact information:

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=cmtepage&stab=04&id=w%26m&tab=subject3&ys=2016RS

There is a Senate crossfile – SB407. There is a hyperlink to the Senate bill page on the HB141 bill page.  SB407 is assigned to the Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs committee. As of 2/1 there was no hearing date set. Here is a link to the EHEA committee members – each name is a hyperlink to their contact information:

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=cmtepage&stab=04&id=ehe&tab=subject3&ys=2016RS

HB397 – Education – Best Practices in Administration of Assessments –

Dels. M. Washington and Ebersole

The bill would require the State Department of Education to develop a specific set of best practices that the State and local school districts must use when deciding whether to administer an assessment or test to students.

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Here is a link to the bill’s page on the GA website:

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?id=hb0397&stab=01&pid=billpage&tab=subject3&ys=2016RS

The bill is assigned to the House Ways and Means committee. As of 2/1 it does not have a hearing date, and has no Senate cross-file.  Here is a link to the Ways and Means committee members – each name is a hyperlink to their contact information:

http://mgaleg.maryland.goEv/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=cmtepage&stab=04&id=w%26m&tab=subject3&ys=2016RS

HB412/SB533 – Education -Administration of Assessments – Notice -   Del. Kaiser

The bill would require each county board of education to provide information relating to each assessment administered in a local school system that includes the title, purpose, grade level tested, subject area, testing window, time to complete, loss of instruction time, and accommodations for students with special needs.

Here is a link to the bill’s page on the GA website:

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?id=hb0412&stab.01&pid=billpage&tab=subject3&ys=2016RS

The bill is assigned to the House Ways and Means committee. It is set for initial hearing on 2/18. .  Here is a link to the Ways and Means committee members – each name is a hyperlink to their contact information:

http://mgaleg.maryland.goEv/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=cmtepage&stab=04&id=w%26m&tab=subject3&ys=2016RS

The Senate crossfile, SB533, can be viewed through the hyperlink on the HB412 bill page.  It is assigned to the Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs committee.  Here is a link to the EHEA committee membership - each name is a hyperlink to the senator's contact information:
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=cmtepage&tab=subject3&id=ehe&stab=02&ys=2016RS

HB657 - Pre-K and Kindergarten Readiness Assessments  -   Del. Shoemaker
This bill would limit administration of state mandated 'school readiness' assessments to a random sampling of Pre-K and Kindergarten students in each local school district.  According to legislators I've spoken to, this bill addresses concerns expressed by a large number of teachers and school administrators concerned about the amount of instructional and interactive class time lost to the process of administering school readiness assessments to every pre-k and kindergarten student.

Here is a link to the bill page on the GA website:
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?id=hb0657&stab=01&pid=billpage&tab=subject3&ys=2016RS

The bill is assigned to the House Ways and Means committee. As of 2/6 there was no Senate cross-file.  HB657 is set for initial hearing on 2/18. .  Here is a link to the Ways and Means committee members – each name is a hyperlink to their contact information:

http://mgaleg.maryland.goEv/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=cmtepage&stab=04&id=w%26m&tab=subject3&ys=2016RS