High-stakes tests became a centerpiece of education reform under No Child Left Behind: countless fill-in-the-bubble sheets that could impact everything from a student’s academic placement and a teacher’s employment to school climate and whether their school will be closed. But what’s the origin of standardized testing? What does the research show? What can standardized tests truly measure, and how are policymakers (mis)using them?

Meanwhile, across the country students are walking out, parents are opting their children out, and teachers are refusing to administer these exams. A cross-sector movement has emerged to challenge test-heavy approaches to education reform. Our two webinar guests will examine both the tests themselves and the communities mobilizing against them. They will point toward better ways to assess how well public schools are educating our children and what a child-centric — not test-centric — classroom looks like. Finally, we’ll discuss opportunities under Every Student Succeeds Act to enrich student learning and improve equity.

Our featured speakers will include:

• Jesse Hagopian, history teacher, commentator, and organizer
• Dr. Monty Neill, FairTest Executive Director
• Dr. John H. Jackson, Schott Foundation President & CEO (Moderator)