The Vermont State Board of Education has voted to suspend the use of scores from a new standardized test this year to evaluate schools.
Board chairman Stephen Morse says there were implementation challenges for some schools with the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, or SBAC, which is administered by computer.
He says while well-designed tests can help evaluate greater equity of outcomes for students, there are real limitations of what can be concluded about learning based on test scores, particularly in the first years of new tests and standards.
The Brattleboro Reformer reports that the decision was part of a resolution that the board approved Tuesday asking Congress to amend the federal No Child Left Behind Act to reduce testing mandates and allow flexibility in showing student progress.
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