Memorandum

To:
From:
Subject:
Date:

Minnesota Department of Education

Alicia Auger
Eliminating Standardized Testing Feasibility Proposal
October 18, 2015

The purpose of this memo is to propose the feasibility of the Minnesota Department of
Education (MDE) eliminating the use of standardized testing in K-12 schools. I will have
the final feasibility report completed by December 13, 2015.
Summary
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, there are about 50.1 million
students enrolled in public elementary and secondary schools in the United States. In
addition to that, 4.9 million students were expected to attend private schools in the fall of
2015.
The most important aspect of attending primary and secondary school is to receive a
general education and lead a successful life in their adult years. In additional to that,
almost all jobs require at least high school diploma, so graduating is almost necessary in
order to get a decent adult job.
The necessity of elementary school brings up some issues and concerns as well. All
Minnesota students are required to take standardized tests, for example, the Minnesota
Comprehensive Assessments (MCA). These types of tests often cause stress to students
and are unnecessary at such a young age. This is why I would like to propose to preform
a feasibility study to research if we could eliminate standardized testing in Minnesota
elementary schools.
Introduction
Following the passage of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) on January 8, 2002, annual
state spending on standardized tests rose from $423 million to almost $1.1 billion in
2008 (procon.org) That being said, there is no doubt about it that the standardized
testing industry is a huge chunk of our government spending. Now the real question
arises, what do these tests actually tell us, and do they improve student achievement?
While at first glance, standardized testing may seem like a great way measure the
progress of students, there are also many disadvantages to them. Arguably the largest
issue with these tests are the fact that teachers are teaching to the test, meaning that
they are heavily focused on standardized test prep, rather than an overall well rounded
education.
The other major downfall is the fairness of the tests, especially for ESL or special
education students. These tests are written for the common Minnesotan student, and do
not take into account English proficiency and statistics on language acquisition. The

overarching reason that students' scores on these tests do not provide an accurate index of
educational effectiveness is that any inference about educational quality made on the
basis of students' standardized achievement test performances is apt to be invalid
(Popham, W.).
I propose to eliminate standardized testing in elementary schools in Minnesota. My goal
of this research is to prove that the negative side of these tests outweighs any positives of
them. I hope to determine an alternative way to measure how a student, or school in
general, is doing in a fair way for everyone.
Proposed Procedure
Completed Research
I have researched the different types of standardized tests that are required in
elementary schools
I have found the requirements of tests to pass in order to graduate high school
College admission tests (ACT, SAT, etc.) have been researched
Created a questionnaire for my classmates to respond to
Future Research
Understanding of the parts and of standardized tests in elementary schools,
including their length and when they are administered
Research in what way the tests are administered (computer based, paper and
pencil, etc.).
Research the possibility of eliminating all standardized tests in Minnesota
elementary schools
Look into how long it would take for this to become a possibility
Analyze the results of the questionnaire
Criteria
How do the students and parents of current and past students feel about
standardized tests?
Is it a concern within the government to eliminate them?
What sorts of problems arise when standardized tests are given to children at such
a young age?
Are there other ways to analyze how our students are doing without standardized
tests given every year, multiple times a year?
Qualifications and Credentials
I am currently a senior at Hamline University after attending Minnesota public schools
from kindergarten to 12th grade. I have also worked and volunteered in elementary
schools throughout my high school and college careers. During this time, I have seen first
hand standardized test prep and the administration of it in Minnesota classrooms.

Completion Schedule
Task
Proposal
Questionnaire
Report Graphics
Progress Report
Peer Review Feasibility Rough Draft
Power Point Presentation
Final Feasibility Report

Completed by Date
October 18, 2015
October 21, 2015
November 1, 2015
November 8 2015
November 29, 2015
December 7, 2015
December 13, 2015

References
National Center for Education Statistics. (2015). Fast facts: Back to school statistics.
Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=372
Popham, W. (1999). Why standardized tests dont measure educational quality. Using
Standards and Assessments. 56(6). 8-15.
Procon.org. (2015). Is the use of standardized tests improving education in America?
Retrieved from http://standardizedtests.procon.org
Strauss, V. (2015). Principal: 'there comes a time when rules must be broken.... that time
is now.'. Washington: WP Company LLC. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/1658052891?accountid=28109