54. Eliminate District Language Arts and District Math Assessments

Eliminate District Language Arts and District Math Assessments - this would save substantial cost on paper, ink, test materials, and personnel. Teachers already conduct extensive assessments with their students in their classrooms. Most teachers would agree that there is not any helpful information that helps guide instruction in their classrooms based on these assessments because they are only given an overall score which is not useful information. These assessments actually take time away from instruction and are considered to be a waste of important funds that could be used elsewhere in the district.  
This is a common suggestion during time of budget reductions.  Interim assessments are required by the School Plans, as well as demonstrate that PI schools are monitoring student progress outside of state assessments when the results come too late to inform current year instruction. Although interim assessments seem redundant for many teachers, they do inform when classes are off-timeline, where there is a curricular deficiency, or when an assessment question is not applicable.  Additionally, the implementation of Data Director (purchased with federal funds) will greatly improve the interim assessment process.