How School Districts Can Prepare Students for Standardized Testing

Now that we are in the second full school year of pandemic schooling, parents, schools and school districts have all reflected and learned what did and did not work — and how to prepare their students for a brighter academic future. COVID-19 is not going anywhere soon. We have to pivot our methods to prepare students to thrive in a learning environment that is more untraditional than ever.

For schools and districts to truly get a measure of success, it comes down to a combination of test scores and grades. Each school district has the responsibility of testing in a way that provides an honest look at student performance, but with an understanding that pandemic scores are not a good reflection of what children can do, or of their potential future achievement.

Testing schedule changes

• Traditionally, school districts set the schedule for standardized testing
• In 2020, schools were given a choice about when they wanted to test
• The U.S. Department of Education acknowledged that schools needed the flexibility to skip or modify the federally-required assessment
• In 2021, states had to administer the tests (either full-length or shortened versions)

This flexibility reduced pressure on schools to report test scores, but it also became very difficult to compare scores year over year in a meaningful way. The flexibility created a lot of “apples to oranges” comparisons that fail to give a clear picture of student readiness.

Some students took tests remotely, while others took them in person; some states made changes to their testing curriculum, while others gave shortened versions. Some states even chose to give different subject matter to different grades: For example, Colorado gave its English/language arts test only in grades 3, 5, and 7 and its math test only in grades 4, 6, and 8.

Additionally, many states saw strikingly low participation rates in the tests — a factor that affects the data and its validity across the board. According to the Center for Reinventing Public Education, which has been monitoring states’ responses to COVID-19, of the 30 states that had released test results in October of 2021, only 14 reported test-participation rates of 90 percent or more.

Impact on student scores

The government’s purpose of requiring these tests was to gauge how students were faring nationally. The general expectation was for and the majority of students were going to score markedly lower than pre-pandemic results.

What’s important to note is that there was a large population of students who were chronically behind – students of color, students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and students with special needs. The pandemic was especially hard on these groups. Assessment results are showing that the equity gap was exacerbated to an alarming degree because of school closures and ineffective remote learning.

To get a more accurate read on student progress, the US Department of Education’s standardized testing has gone back to its pre-pandemic testing schedule. All public states will be responsible for administering a federally-approved, end-of-year assessment.

Recovery plans and support

The goal for school districts this school year is to constantly evaluate their recovery plans, and shift directions when needed.

After the muddled results of last year’s testing efforts, it’s time for more consistent testing practices and to provide supportive testing environments for children.

In late October 2021, the Biden Administration stated that it was a top priority to reopen schools safely — and keep them open. True to its word, the Administration has taken significant actions to get our students back in the classroom. The Administration's actions are working, with more than 96% of school districts open for full-time, in-person classes for all students.

Emily Levitt, Vice President of Education at Sylvan Learning, emphasized the importance of consistent testing practices and supportive testing environments for children.