FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Rep. Green Statement on Department of Education Testing Announcement
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced that standardized testing for the 2019-2020 school year will be waived due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Rep. Green said, “I am grateful to President Trump and Secretary DeVos for ensuring the flexibility of our Nation’s educators and schools during this uncertain time. The gravity of the situation our schools continue to face while navigating the COVID-19 outbreak would have created an undue burden for preparing and administering statewide assessments. By waiving these standardized tests, the health and safety of students, staff, and their families remain the top priority.”
On Monday, Rep. Green sent a letter to Secretary DeVos urging the Department of Education to take this necessary step. Green continued, “No State or district should have their participation rate or absenteeism metric factored into any school’s academic achievement indicators. Secretary DeVos and the Department of Education have responded decisively to allow for the highest form of flexibility during this national emergency, and I commend their swift action.”
The Department of Education continues to update www.ed.gov/coronavirus with information for students, parents, educators, and local leaders about how to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
For additional resources and assistance with federal agencies, please visit Rep. Green’s website.
###
