Washoe County School District supports AB 386 for assessment flexibility in early reading

The Assembly Committee on Ways and Means convened on May 12, 2025, to discuss Assembly Bill 386, known as the Assessment Choice Act. This proposed legislation aims to provide school districts and charter schools in Nevada with the flexibility to select interim reading assessments for students in grades K through 3, rather than adhering to a state-mandated assessment.

Dr. Laura Davidson, the Director of Research and Evaluation for the Washoe County School District, presented strong support for the bill. She highlighted that the current requirement for the MAP growth assessment, mandated by the Nevada Department of Education for the past eight years, has become ineffective for educators and families. Dr. Davidson noted that the MAP assessment no longer provides actionable data to support student learning, leading to a situation where students are subjected to double testing—both MAP and the district-adopted I Ready assessment—resulting in six high-stakes tests annually for young learners.

Dr. Davidson emphasized the need for assessments that serve instructional purposes rather than merely comparing districts. She argued that the Assessment Choice Act would allow districts to choose assessments that best meet their unique needs without incurring additional costs to the state, as districts would be responsible for the financial implications of their chosen assessments.

During the meeting, concerns were raised regarding the fiscal implications of the bill. Representatives from the Nevada Department of Education (NDE) expressed uncertainty about the financial responsibilities outlined in the bill, particularly regarding the potential costs associated with multiple assessments and the need for additional staff to manage data reporting standards. The NDE indicated that the current language of the bill could lead to confusion about who would bear the costs of the assessments.

Assembly members engaged in discussions to clarify these fiscal concerns, with suggestions for amendments to ensure that districts would be responsible for any assessments they choose outside of the state’s procurement process. The committee acknowledged the importance of aligning assessments with the state literacy plan while ensuring that the workload for the NDE remains manageable.

The meeting concluded with a commitment to further refine the bill's language to address the concerns raised, particularly regarding financial responsibilities and the potential need for additional staffing. The committee's discussions underscored the ongoing challenges in balancing state accountability with local educational needs, as they work towards a solution that supports effective reading assessments for Nevada's youngest students.