WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pension Committee, along with Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) and U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), introduced the Support Making Assessments Reliable and Timely (SMART) Act – legislation that would help states and school districts eliminate low-quality and unnecessary tests in our nation’s classrooms, and preserve the meaningful role that assessments play in improving academic outcomes for all students.
The SMART Act effectively targets federal funding to empower states to audit their assessment systems and eliminate poor quality and redundant tests. The legislation also provides for states and local education agencies to improve their use of assessment data, which might include providing more time for educators to design instruction based on test results and speeding the delivery of test data to students and families.
“Statewide annual assessments have the potential to produce powerful information that can enhance teaching and learning in our classrooms and help our kids succeed,” said Murphy. “But the reality is that too many tests are ineffective and unnecessary. Connecticut’s dedicated teachers and students deserve all the resources they need to excel, which is why it’s so important for us to distinguish the meaningful and constructive tests from those that are a waste of time. Simply put, the SMART Act is a logical step in ensuring that our students have access to the best tools that will prepare them to succeed in this highly competitive world.”
The bipartisan bill has broad support, including endorsements from the National Education Association, the American Federation of Teachers, the Education Trust, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights (LCCR), the Center for American Progress, the National Center for Learning Disabilities, and the National Council of La Raza.
