“As a special education teacher going into my 14th year of teaching, I know that standardized tests do not help students learn. Students with disabilities and English language learners have the most difficulty with standardized assessments, but even students who are performing at grade level may also struggle with them. Scores do not necessarily reflect the students’ strengths, needs, and abilities. Last year, my students took between 43 and 50 assessments. I’ve seen firsthand that when students are tested too often, they shut down, get stressed out, and demonstrate symptoms of anxi- ety, nervousness, and negative self-image. The district must allow teachers to choose the types of assessments they will use to support their instruction, the students’ learning goals, and provide authentic information about the supports students need. We dedicate numerous hours to planning curriculum and should be given the professional discretion to decide which assessments to use and how often we need to conduct them. This will allow more time for students to engage in hands-on learning, project-based learning, and collaborative and creative work.”

Karla Griego

Special Education and Social Studies Teacher,

Sotomayor Center for Arts and Sciences