Embracing Flexibility Provided by ESSA, Louisiana First to Pilot New Innovative Assessments

  • 07/30/18

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos today announced that Louisiana will be the first state to test new, innovative assessments as part of a pilot program authorized by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

“I’m glad to see Louisiana leading the way to help students by utilizing this new flexibility afforded under ESSA,” said Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. “This pilot program allows states to make assessments more relevant and connected to the classroom while still providing valid, reliable and transparent data on student achievement and growth.  I look forward to seeing the results.”

Louisiana’s innovative assessments will measure student understanding in English language arts (ELA) and social studies by assessing students on passages from books used in daily classroom instruction at regular intervals, rather than randomly-selected texts once during the school year. Louisiana will pilot its innovative assessments in 20 high schools, across three districts and two charter networks, serving nearly 21,000 students.

The Innovative Assessment Demonstration Authority (IADA) program is designed to lower barriers to innovation and encourage local involvement in the development of the next generation of assessments. As part of the program, states can pilot new and innovative assessments on a small scale, avoid double-testing students on both pilot and statewide exams and develop strategies for implementing such innovative assessments statewide over time.

To participate in the pilot, states must apply and demonstrate how their innovative assessments are developed in collaboration with local stakeholders, aligned to challenging state academic standards and accessible to all students through use of principles of universal design for learning, among other requirements.

Featured

  • University of Kentucky Receives $2.5M Donation Toward Renovation Project

    The University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky., recently announced that it has accepted a $2.5-million donation that will transform Pence Hall into the home of the university’s College of Communication and Information, according to a news release.

  • Minnesota District Completes Major Renovations, Expansions to High School

    White Bear Lake Area Schools in White Bear Lake, Minn., recently announced that it has completed the renovation and expansion of White Bear Lake Area High School, according to a news release. The school’s final addition, a new 845-seat Performing Arts Center, was finished in November.

  • Massachusetts Charter School Opens New Academic Building

    The Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School (AMSA) in Marlborough, Mass., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new academic building, according to a news release. The 17,000-square-foot space will serve as a classroom and science lab building for the student population of almost a thousand in grades 6–12.

  • Michigan School District Installs New Gun-Detection Platform

    Williamston Community Schools in Williamston, Mich., recently announced that it has installed the ZeroEyes gun-detection video analytics platform for its five schools, according to a news release. ZeroEyes is the only solution of its kind with a U.S. Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act Designation and adds an AI gun-detection and intelligent situational awareness software layer into existing school security cameras.