SIIA Releases First Behind the Data Report on the U.S. PreK-12 Testing and Assessment Market

Report Shows Sales in Testing and Assessment Category at $2.5 Billion

Washington, D.C.The Education Division of the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), the principal trade association for the software and digital content industries, today released the first report in a new series of Behind the Data publications. This report is an extension of SIIA’s annual vendor survey reports on the PreK-12 U.S. Education Technology Market, which contain vital data for companies and the education community at large.

Testing and assessment sales have experienced such significant growth that it is now the largest single category of educational technology sales – defined as software, digital content, and related digital services – reported by vendors responding to the SIIA annual U.S. Education Technology Market: PreK-12 survey. Sales in this category have increased a dramatic 57 percent over the last three years of the survey. For the 2012-2013 school year, sales in the testing and assessment category represented almost $2.5 billion.

“In looking carefully at the data for SIIA’s annual report, we saw the growth of testing and assessment as a trend that prompted further questions about the reasons for this growth, and the need for this report,” said Dr. John Richards, president of Consulting Services for Education (CS4Ed). “We’re pleased that 20 companies provided the further information to us."

Participants almost universally identified four key factors affecting the recent growth of the digital testing and assessment market segment:

  1. The Common Core State Standards are Changing Curricula
  2. The Rollout of Common Core Assessments is Galvanizing Activity
  3. There is Widespread Demand for More and Better Formative Assessments
  4. Testing and Assessment is Leading the Transition from Print to Digital

“We view the growth of the PreK-12 testing and assessment market segment over the last several years even more remarkable, given that it has occurred in difficult economic times during an overall PreK-12 budget and spending decline,” said Karen Billings, vice president of the SIIA Education Division.

To access the Executive Summary of the report go to www.siia.net.

Featured

  • Deferred Maintenance Issues Growing at Universities, Gordian Reports

    U.S. colleges and universities are falling increasingly behind on facilities maintenance and repair, according to Gordian’s 13th annual State of Facilities in Higher Education report. The deferred capital renewal burden has reached $156 per gross square foot, an 8% increase over the previous year.

  • South Carolina District Starts Construction on $50M Middle School Renovation

    The Aiken County Public School District in North Augusta, S.C., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $50-million renovation and expansion of North Augusta Middle School, according to a news release. The project’s funding comes from the 2024 renewal of a one-cent sales tax approved by local voters.

  • Chartwells Launches Campus Dining Evaluation Framework

    Contract food-service management provider Chartwells Higher Education recently announced the launch of BLUEPRINT, according to a news release. The evaluation framework was designed to provide a data-driven and customizable roadmap towards optimizing campus dining services and, by extension, the student experience.

  • Moline-Coal Valley School District to Consolidate Two Schools into New Facility

    The Moline-Coal Valley School District in Moline, Ill., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff from two existing schools, according to local news. Robert Ontiveros Elementary School will serve as the new home for Lincoln-Irving Elementary School and Willard Elementary School.