ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10/WWTI) — New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) on Tuesday rebuked the federal government’s decision to mandate that states administer standardized tests in the 2020-2021 school year. NYSUT President Andy Pallotta stated his opposition to the decision:

“In a year that has been anything but standard, mandating that students take standardized tests just doesn’t make sense. As the educators in the classroom, we have always known that standardized tests are not the best way to measure a child’s development, and they are especially unreliable right now. We need to ensure that our students who have been hit hardest during the pandemic receive the support they need. Sizing up students with inequitable and stressful exams is not the solution.”

NYSUT President Andy Pallotta

NYSUT previously encouraged the state to request a federal waiver of testing requirements for grades three through 12. The waiver was officially submitted by the State Education Department on February 12 following a public comment period.

“We have grave concerns that standardized tests at any level can be administered in any sort of equitable way. Students deserve better. Regardless of what flexibility the federal government provides, no student should be forced to come to school in person just to take a test.”

NYSUT Executive Vice President Jolene T. DiBrango

According to NYSUT, a union representing 600,000 New Yorkers, thousands of comments were submitted to the state by educators demanding a waiver of testing requirements.