Gov. Jack Markell (D-Delaware) is expected to take executive action to review all statewide testing required of Delaware schools.
Markell notes that the recent switch to the Smarter Balanced Assessment already reduces the amount of testing for Delaware students, but that more might need to be done.
“I think this issue of taking a look at the amount of testing across the state makes a lot of sense and you’ll be hearing more from us about that soon,” he said.
Markell didn’t elaborate on when any action might be taken or what form that might take.
Previously, state officials used the Delaware Comprehensive Assessment System or DCAS as the standardized test of choice, which Markell says required more testing.
Rep. Earl Jaques (D-Glasgow) chairs the House Education Committee and has been calling for a similar review by the Department of Education.
Jaques notes that his conversations with the governor have centered on some kind of committee or task force made up of representatives from all districts, teachers, legislators and charter school officials.
"[The governor's office is] wrestling with that, trying to figure out how they're going to do it, what's the right way to do it so that we get the right people on board, the right mix," Jaques said.
That said, he notes that he's not sure what a final product will look like. "Is it a task force? Is it a study group? Is it a blue ribbon panel? I don’t know what the answer is."
Depending on open space on any potential panel, Jaques says he wants to appoint Reps. Sean Matthews (D-Talleyville) and Stephanie T. Bolden (D-Wilmington) – a current and former school teacher respectively.
Legislators can form their own task forces and committees to analyze aspects of state government without any action required by the governor, but Jaques says, "This is one [educational proposal] that [Markell] would like to move forward with so I'm going to let him do that."
Markell has taken some heat in the educational arena lately with his Priority Schools plan.
That initiative targeted six low-performing and high-poverty schools for intervention, setting aside $6 million for the effort.
The state tried mandating that these schools require all teachers to reapply for their jobs, hire highly-paid principals, among other requirements, or the schools would be taken over by the state or a charter school.
Red Clay School District eventually agreed to the plan, while Christina School District rebelled, but now is in talks to redraw their district lines to take them out of the City of Wilmington limits.
The move also comes as the so-called "opt-out" continues to gain support – even from some state lawmakers.
Rep. John Kowalko (D-Newark South) and Sen. Dave Lawson (R-Marydel) are introducing a bill to allows parents to keep their kids from taking the Smarter Balanced Assessment, which is aligned with the federal Common Core standards.
Under the proposal, schools would be required to alert parents to this option at least 15 days before any test. Those opting out would not factor into any accountability ratings districts or charter schools must meet.
Jaques says he expects any gubernatorial action to be in place within the next month as the General Assembly reconvenes following more than a month of early budget hearings.
