Proposed legislation would reduce high-stakes testing in Georgia

ATLANTA — Gov. Brian Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp were joined by State School Superintendent Richard Woods, Senator P.K. Martin, R-Lawrenceville, members of the General Assembly, and other special guests to announce legislation to reduce high-stakes K-12 testing in Georgia.

“Too often, our educators – who are literally on the front lines of serving the next generation – feel like they’re not heard,” Kemp said in a news release. “With the introduction of this legislation, our message is clear: We hear you, and we have your back. By reducing high-stakes testing, we will remove heavy burdens in the classroom for our teachers and students. This bill will work to restore parents’ peace of mind about their children’s education, and let educators focus on what they do best: teaching our children.”

Woods praised the proposed legislation.

“I strongly support the legislation announced by Gov. Kemp today, which would lower the number and weight of high-stakes tests in Georgia and maximize time for instruction,” the state school superintendent said. “As a former teacher, and as someone who has spoken with hundreds of Georgia’s classroom teachers over the last five years, I believe so strongly that our students and teachers are worth more than the results of one test, taken on one day, during one school year. That’s what this legislation is about.

“We are responding to the persistent and urgent concerns raised by classroom teachers, students and parents, who have been sounding the alarm about the negative impacts of excessive high-stakes testing for years. We are saying, loud and clear, that it’s the teacher, not the test, that makes a difference. I am proud to partner with Gov. Kemp and Sen. Martin to address this critical issue head-on, and I thank them for hearing and acting upon the concerns raised by students, parents and teachers.”

School officials throughout the state are weighing in on the measure.

“The proposal gives educators the standardized assessment data needed to grow students academically,” Calhoun City Schools Superintendent Michele Taylor said. “We are pleased to see that it also encompasses a local formative assessment review. This plan will enable us to dedicate additional supports to ninth grade where needed as well. Gov. Kemp has done a great job supporting educators, and we are hopeful that this will be a favored approach with legislators.”

The proposed legislation will remove five of the seven assessments that are currently above federal requirements. It will also allow for flexibility on the timing of the high school writing assessment and make changes to shorten the length of the Georgia Milestones. Furthermore, the bill will assist with the reduction of local assessments and maximize instruction time by creating a testing window within the last 25 school days or last five weeks of the school year.

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