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Board told district must keep state-mandated tests; curriculum choices defended
Summary
District officials said HMH and I-Ready are state-approved and that Smarter Balanced and ACT requirements remain in place; trustees discussed double-testing in K–3 and a STAR Academy pilot as an alternate instructional approach.
Trustees asked whether recent legislative changes would reduce testing and questioned curriculum decisions raised in the suggestion box.
Superintendent Logan and district staff responded that the district’s chosen curriculum, including HMH and I-Ready, is state-approved. Staff said the Smarter Balanced assessment (grades 3–8) and the ACT (grade 11) remain state-mandated; local use of I-Ready and MAP means some students in grades K–3 could face both assessments, and the MAP assessment can trigger the 'read by grade 3' interventions for students who struggle.
When trustees pressed for relief from testing, district staff said the board’s best avenue is lobbying the state because mandates come from state policy. One trustee praised a locally proposed STAR Academy pilot as a way to take a different approach than focusing solely on test scores.
The district said it will continue to use state-approved assessments and pursue local pilots where permissible; no vote to change testing policy occurred in the provided excerpt.
