Dive Brief:

• In Education Next, Thomas Kane notes that education research has failed American students, and in Education Week Marc Tucker attributes this to what he calls "system effects and the lack of interest among our researchers in comparative methods of research."
• Tucker notes that new assessments need to be created to match any new standards, and that having appropriate curriculum frameworks in place is key to success.
• When assessments match syllabi, Tucker argues, teachers and students are set up for success instead of failure.

Dive Insight:

Overall, Tucker claims, most assessments used in the U.S. were created to measure independent factors and not to evaluate overall education systems, which leads to the lack of policy reform informed by education research. At the same time, subject assessments and evaluations remain key to determining how well students and teachers are doing in the classroom.

Acting Secretary of Education Dr. John B. King Jr. has discussed ways states can get rid of poor quality, redundant and “unhelpful” testing, calling for student progress and performance has to be tracked, but not to the point where it becomes a sole focus. According to a 2015 study by the Council of the Great City Schools. U.S. students spend between 20 and 25 hours annually on standardized tests. The US Department of Education recently issued new assessment guidance under Obama's Testing Action Plan.