Blue Ribbon Panel to Tour State with Recommendations on Standardized Tests

Aug 08, 2008 by Elizabeth Ziegler

(KCPW News) The Governor's Blue Ribbon Panel on Assessment will launch a tour of the state today with a meeting at Granite School District. Christine Kearl, the governor's education advisor, says the education panel wants to eliminate three paper-based standardized tests and substitute them for computer adaptive tests.

"You know, they were OK ten years ago. But there are better tools out there today," Kearl says. "Technology has changed the lives of all of us, including those of us in the education arena as well."

Governor Jon Huntsman formed the assessment panel last year in response to complaints from educators about the amount of testing required in a school year and the length of time it takes to get test results into the hands of teachers, parents and students. The panel met periodically over the past year to study the state's assessment system, UPASS. Kearl says the suggestions aim to improve the quality of the testing data.

"With the recommendations we're looking at, we would get more information on students, and in a timely manner that would help change or drive instruction, individualized to the student need," Kearl says.

The panel also recommends adding a test, the A-C-T. Kearl says having all Utah students take the ACT before graduating high school would help prepare them to apply for college. The Blue Ribbon Panel on Assessment will gather feedback at six regional meetings this month in before filing its final report to the Governor. Kearl says expects a bill to implement the recommendations will be introduced in the upcoming legislative session.

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