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Utah board hears proposal to pilot national norm‑referenced tests as alternative to RISE
Summary
The Utah State Board of Education reviewed a draft legislative pilot that would allow schools to use nationally norm‑referenced assessments (administered beginning, middle and end of year) in place of the state RISE test, with conversion rules, enrollment caps and a five‑year sunset. Board members pressed for details on statistical concordance, opt‑out rules and staff capacity; no formal action was taken.
The Utah State Board of Education on Thursday received an overview of a draft legislative pilot that would let local education agencies and charter schools opt into nationally norm‑referenced assessments instead of the state RISE end‑of‑year test.
Matt Throckmorton, an education advocate who said he is working with Representative Lisonbee on the measure, told the board the bill would allow participating schools to administer a nationally norm‑referenced test at the beginning, middle and end of the school year and then convert results so the final administration can be used for accountability "in a statistically significant and a valid manner." Throckmorton said the pilot would run five years and that participating LEAs would pay vendor costs; he said the draft currently carries no fiscal note.
The bill would cap participation so districts could opt in until participating students reach 10% of statewide test‑eligible students, and charters could opt…
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