TUSD board approves MOU with teachers union to make third‑quarter benchmark optional after widespread public pushback

Tucson Unified School District’s governing board voted Feb. 11 to approve a memorandum of understanding with the teachers’ union (TEA) that makes the district’s third‑quarter i‑Ready diagnostic optional and directs district staff to work with educators on a short‑ and long‑term plan to right‑size assessments.

The vote came after more than a dozen public speakers urged the board to reduce what they called “excessive testing” that they say narrows classroom instruction and raises anxiety among students. The MOU, which district and union leaders presented to the board, also specifies that the i‑Ready assessment schedule (traditionally given in September, January and April) will treat the spring administration as optional for K–2 under the agreement and sets up working groups to evaluate frequency, length and design of district assessments.

Why it matters: Teachers, parents and students who addressed the board described frequent district and classroom assessments as harming learning time and student well‑being while providing little actionable benefit. Board approval signals a concrete change to TUSD practice for this school year and commits the district to convene curriculum and instruction staff, teachers and union representatives to pursue broader changes.

Public pressure and board action

The board heard sustained public comment about testing during the meeting’s call to the audience: second‑grader Valentina Burris Butner told the board, “I am here to talk about reducing the amount of tests in the school district,” and classroom teachers argued that repeated benchmarks and weekly formatives reduce time for…