For years, a top concern of classroom educators has been too many standardized tests shifting the focus in the classroom away from student learning toward a culture of high-stakes testing. NSEA has been actively working to reduce the burden of standardized testing, helping pass a bill to require reviews of student assessments in 2017 and again in 2021. While small changes have been made over the last several years, the current crisis calls for a more substantive overhaul of state testing requirements.
Now with elected officials making the call for greater accountability from school districts, NSEA would caution this accountability cannot be measured by student performance on standardized tests. As NEA-SN President Vicki Kriedel put it, “Any educator will tell you testing-focused schools lose hours of valuable authentic teaching to test prep. This practice adds to the already high stress job that classroom teachers have now.” With Nevada’s glaring educator shortage, we hope accountability is instead measured by strategies that ensure our schools are filled with qualified educators who have the tools they need to ensure every Nevada student has access to a high-quality education.
The NDE – Assessments and Accountability Budget contains over $20M for student testing. This number doesn’t even include the exponential costs of educator time and school resources sunk into high-stakes tests. Overtesting is the wrong way to go, and NSEA calls for greater accountability from our elected leaders, right here in Carson City.
Accountability means using funds where they are needed most, like pay increases for every Nevada educator. That is why we say it’s Time For 20 to provide a 20% raise and a $20 minimum wage for all educators.
Accountability means using funds where they are needed most, like class size reduction. That’s why NSEA calls for reducing average class size to 20 students.
Accountability means using funds where they are needed most, like school safety. That is why NSEA supports elevating the safety, well-being, and autonomy of educators in their work.
Accountability means funding Time for 20, not $20M for student assessments.
