Any day now, the U.S. Department of Education could give Louisiana and New Hampshire the green light to lead the nation in the design of next generation state assessment systems. The two states were the first to apply for the Every Student Succeeds Act’s (ESSA) new Innovative Assessment pilot, which gives states the opportunity to pilot new assessment systems with a subset of districts.
If approved, both states have a long and challenging journey ahead. Congress was understandably cautious and did not make it easy for states to try something new with assessment design. But thanks to the leadership of these two states, we may get the opportunity to deepen our knowledge of what is possible. Our hope is that their story – and the stories of states that will follow in future rounds – enable policymakers to create a better policy framework that ensures all students benefit from richer and more meaningful assessment systems.
I encourage you to watch the video below to learn from John White, Louisiana’s State Superintendent of Education, and Frank Edelblut, New Hampshire’s Commissioner of Education about the important work unfolding in these states. Special thanks to our incredible partners in the movie making business – the Center for Assessment and the Nellie Mae Education Foundation.
InnovativeAssessments.org is a clearinghouse for resources that cover the full range of opportunities in ESSA, including the new assessment flexibilities under Title I and the Innovative Assessment and Accountability Demonstration Authority.
