From Rep. Sharon Steckman –
After receiving a minimal 2.25% increase in state funding over a year late, the Governor’s veto will mean that school districts will have to come up with the implementation costs of the extensive new test. The test is estimated to cost around $10 million, but it could be higher with the potential cost of network upgrades and buying computers to implement the test. In addition, school districts have already set their budgets for next year, and this will be a major additional cost.
Currently, Iowa schools use the Iowa Tests developed by ACT in Iowa City. A taskforce, set up by the 2013 Education Reform bill, recommended the move away from to the Iowa Tests to the Smarter Balanced test. The Smarter Balanced test is done on computer and adaptive to student’s answers, meaning questions will change based on response.
In 2015, the Iowa State Board of Education took the recommendation of the Taskforce and required Iowa schools to move the Smarter Balanced test for mathematics and reading. At the time, there were 27 states that were scheduled to use or were using the Smarter Balanced assessment. That has currently dropped down to 13 states with Wisconsin being one of the states that dropped the assessment after significant issues in implementation.
9 thoughts on “Rep. Steckman: Governor’s veto forces school districts to pay for tests”
I have said this many times, Schools and Government agencies don’t use base line budgeting. They set their budgets based on last years spending. (Believe me, I am in sales.) Every year at the end of their fiscal year, they spend like crazy on things they don’t really need but have to spend the money so they don’t take a cut in the next fiscal year. This is how us tax payers are getting ripped off every year and there is never enough money for them.
Most schools I know of don’t have money at the end of the year so they don’t “spend like crazy…”. I have been in education for over 30 years and never experienced this. Once again John you don’t know what you are talking about because you rely on hearsay evidence.
You give him too much credit when you say he is relying on hearsay evidence. “Hearsay” is not evidence.
Cut the excessive overhead and they would have the money they need.
You’ll never hear Stecky utter the word “cut” in relation to education. She’s a Dumbocrat.
what excessive overhead specifically? our schools represents our future. if you have concrete concerns lets hear them, otherwise please save us the knee-jerk reaction.
You really need to get your head out of your butt and wake the hell up. The managers have managers and the secretary’s have secretary’s.
ok, so you dont really know, but you think there must be a lot of waste going on because thats what youve “heard”. duly noted.
I know more than you ever will.