MODEL BILLS
Too Young to Test Act
Summary: The Too Young to Test Act prohibits the administration of standardized tests to students below the third grade except for purely diagnostic purposes.
Sources: New York Assembly Bill 6593 and Illinois Senate Bill 3460
Brief explanation: Given their age, skills and abilities, it is unreasonable and inappropriate to administer standardized tests to students in prekindergarten through grade two, unless it is necessary for diagnostic screening. Testing in such early grades has met with widespread criticism from parents, educators and administrators as an ineffective and unsuitable tool for assessing a young student’s progress in school. Not only are the tests developmentally inappropriate, but they waste valuable class time that should be spent on productive learning exercises. Standardized tests also present physical challenges for some small children who are still developing fine motor skills, where holding and using a pencil can present difficulties, creating both frustration and challenges for young students.
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE
This Act shall be called the “Too Young to Test Act.”
SECTION 2. PURPOSE
This law is enacted to prohibit the administration of standardized tests to students in prekindergarten through grade two, unless it is used for a diagnostic purpose or required by federal law. It also prohibits the inclusion of standardized test scores from students in kindergarten through grade two for the evaluation of classroom teachers.
SECTION 3. STUDENTS TOO YOUNG FOR STANDARDIZED TESTS
After section XXX, the following new section XXX shall be inserted:
(A) DEFINITIONS – In this section:
1. “Standardized test” means a test or assessment of students where the same or substantially the same test is given in schools across a school district.
2. “Diagnostic purposes” means for the purpose of determining if individual students need remedial instruction and “diagnostic purposes” does not include any test where student scores are used to rate or rank any classroom, teacher, school, school district or jurisdiction.
(B) PROHIBITIONS
1. No school in the [state/county/city/school district] shall administer a standardized test in pre-Kindergarten through second grade unless the test is:
(a) used for diagnostic purposes only; or
(b) required to be administered by federal law.
2. No standardized test scores from students in kindergarten through grade two shall be used in any manner in the evaluation of any teacher, school administrator, or other school employee.
SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE
This law shall become effective on July 1, 20XX.