State reforms to develop K-12 academic standards and to assess the performance of all students on these standards have resulted in a substantial increase in the number and scope of contracts with testing companies for statewide assessment programs. Many of these assessments are high-stakes for students (e.g., graduation or grade promotion tests) and/or educators (e.g., accountability programs). With high school diplomas, monetary awards or federal funding for schools and school systems dependent on test results, it is imperative that state assessments be of high quality, meet professional standards for best practice, be delivered in a timely manner, and be scored accurately. With increasingly tight budgets, it is similarly imperative that assessment programs be developed and implemented in an efficient and cost-effective manner without sacrificing quality.
Source: https://ebookschoice.com/state-reforms-to-develop-k-12-academic-standards/
