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FastBridge presenters urge continued state support for formative assessment used by most Kansas districts
Summary
Representatives of Renaissance told the K-12 budget committee that FastBridge, a formative assessment used in roughly 70% of Kansas districts, provides actionable in-year data and has been funded recently through ESRE and local matches; presenters asked the committee to consider continued state support.
Representatives of Renaissance told the Committee on K-12 Education Budget that FastBridge, a formative assessment product used by an estimated 230 districts and nearly 315,000 students in Kansas, helps educators identify academic risk and target interventions during the school year.
"FastBridge is a way for us to have a valid, reliable, researched-aligned tool that will allow your teachers to be able to monitor academic progress throughout the school year and adjust," said Ti Smith, national academic adviser for Renaissance. The presenters said FastBridge takes about 30 minutes on average to administer and that the system pinpoints specific skill deficits teachers can address immediately.
Colton Gibson told the committee that recent funding came from ESRE dollars with districts covering half via cost shares, and that continued state funding would help sustain the tool statewide. Committee members asked how FastBridge complements state testing and how it informs instruction earlier in the year.
The committee did not make an immediate funding decision; staff will consider the assessment’s FY2027 funding need as part of the broader budget review.
