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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING DEVELOPMENT OF

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METHODS TO MINIMIZE EXCESSIVE TESTING AND ITS

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NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON THE SCHOOLCHILDREN OF

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UTAH

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2015 GENERAL SESSION

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STATE OF UTAH

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Chief Sponsor: Marie H. Poulson

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Senate Sponsor: Aaron Osmond

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10     LONG TITLE
11     General Description:
12          This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor urges the development
13     of methods and protocols that will minimize excessive standardized testing and its
14     negative effects on Utah's public schoolchildren.
15     Highlighted Provisions:
16          This resolution:
17          ▸     expresses support for educators throughout the state of Utah who strive to minimize
18     excessive testing and its negative effects on Utah's public schoolchildren;
19          ▸     urges that the Utah State Board of Education, with the participation of Utah's local
20     school boards, parents, and teachers, to study methods and protocols related to
21     testing that, given the current restrictions imposed by federal law, minimize testing
22     and maximize the integration of testing into an aligned curriculum;
23          ▸     urges the Utah State Board of Education to report those methods and protocols to
24     the Utah Legislature's Education Interim Committee in the committee's September
25     2015 meeting;
26          ▸     urges that, at that same meeting, the Utah State Board of Education also report to
27     the Education Interim Committee any methods, approaches, and protocols that may
28     require legislation to implement; and
29          ▸     urges the Utah State Board of Education to make these legislative recommendations

30     to allow the Education Interim Committee time to study the issues and develop potential
31     legislation for introduction in the Utah Legislature's 2016 General Session.
32     Special Clauses:
33          None
34     

35     Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
36          WHEREAS, the appropriate use of assessment is to inform daily instruction;
37          WHEREAS, excessive and unnecessary testing in public elementary and secondary
38     schools is counterproductive;
39          WHEREAS, parents and educators care about how students learn and should be held
40     responsible for using available data, including appropriate formative assessments, to inform
41     and differentiate instruction for each student;
42          WHEREAS, since the enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Utah has
43     been obliged to shift too much of its focus in public education from teaching to testing;
44          WHEREAS, although standardized testing is a partial measure of performance in
45     school, undue emphasis on such testing combined with the attachment of high stakes leads to a
46     situation in which teachers may feel pressure to spend more time preparing students to take
47     tests and less time educating;
48          WHEREAS, this situation leads to students spending more time taking tests and less
49     time learning;
50          WHEREAS, many parents, concerned and hopeful that their children will gain
51     knowledge in school that prepares them to face economic and other life challenges, question
52     how excessive testing prepares their children;
53          WHEREAS, standardized testing often emphasizes rote memorization of basic facts
54     rather than deep understanding and application of concepts;
55          WHEREAS, overemphasis on standardized testing in certain core areas restricts the
56     implementation of a broad, rich curriculum;
57          WHEREAS, excessive standardized testing limits students' access to technology as a

58     learning tool because this technology must be used to administer testing;
59          WHEREAS, high stakes standardized testing is different from and should not be
60     confused with testing for Individualized Education Program development, Advanced
61     Placement, International Baccalaureate, or American College Testing examinations for college
62     credit;
63          WHEREAS, the Utah State Board of Education, with the participation of other
64     stakeholders, should study and implement methods, approaches, and protocols related to testing
65     that, given the current restrictions imposed by federal law, minimize the negative effects of
66     testing and maximize the integration of testing into an aligned curriculum;
67          WHEREAS, the Utah State Board of Education should report those methods,
68     approaches, and protocols it intends to implement to the Utah Legislature's Education Interim
69     Committee in its September 2015 meeting; and
70          WHEREAS, at that same meeting, the Utah State Board of Education should also report
71     to the Education Interim Committee any methods, approaches, and protocols that may require
72     legislation to allow the Education Interim Committee time to study the issues and develop
73     potential legislation for introduction in the Utah Legislature's 2016 General Session:
74          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
75     Governor concurring therein, expresses support for educators throughout the state of Utah who
76     strive to minimize excessive and unnecessary testing on Utah's public schoolchildren.
77          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor urge Utah's
78     education stakeholders, including the Utah State Board of Education, Utah's local school
79     boards, parents, and teachers to study and develop methods and protocols, for implementation
80     in Utah's public school classrooms, that minimize excessive and unnecessary testing on Utah's
81     public schoolchildren.
82          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor urge that the
83     Utah State Board of Education, with the participation of Utah's local school boards, parents,
84     and teachers, study methods and protocols related to testing that, given the current restrictions
85     imposed by federal law, minimize testing and maximize the integration of testing into an

86     aligned curriculum.
87          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor urge that the
88     Utah State Board of Education report those methods and protocols to the Utah Legislature's
89     Education Interim Committee in the committee's September 2015 meeting.
90          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor urge that, at that
91     same meeting, the Utah State Board of Education also report to the Education Interim
92     Committee any methods and protocols that may require legislation to implement.
93          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor urge the Utah
94     State Board of Education to make these legislative recommendations to allow the Education
95     Interim Committee time to study the issues and develop potential legislation for introduction in
96     the Utah Legislature's 2016 General Session.
97          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Utah State
98     Board of Education and each of Utah's local public school boards.