HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STATE OF DELAWARE LEGISLATIVE HALL DOVER, DELAWARE 19901

December 31, 2015

Governor Jack A. Markell State of Delaware Tatnall Building Dover, DE 19901

Dear Governor Markell:

In our conversations with teachers, administrators, students and parents throughout Delaware, we have heard their concerns about standardized testing, particularly administering the Smarter Balanced Assessment to high school juniors.

Many of these students are preparing for college or other post-secondary schooling and are taking a variety of other exams, including Advanced Placement tests, SAT and ACT entrance exams, not to mention final exams for their classes. Adding Smarter Balanced to that list simply burdens juniors with what many of them and their parents deem a superfluous test, which is why 10 percent of juniors did not take the Smarter Balanced reading test and 11 percent did not take the math test last year.

In light of these facts, we are formally requesting that your administration remove the requirement that high school juniors take the Smarter Balanced Assessment in lieu of an exam that virtually every student takes – the SAT. Contrary to Smarter Balanced, which takes more than eight hours over several days, the SAT is administered in one day and takes less than four hours to complete.

By substituting a widely accepted standardized test that juniors already take, your administration could alleviate many of the concerns students and parents have raised about the additional burden Smarter Balanced places on high school juniors.

We recognize that, by your order, the Department of Education is in the midst of creating an inventory of standardized tests administered throughout the state. Pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 2, signed into law in July, the department will share its findings with legislators and the public, as well as a special work group that will make recommendations regarding possible elimination of redundant tests. While opinions will differ among stakeholders, we believe there is universal support for eliminating the Smarter Balanced test for juniors in lieu of the SAT.

We look forward to working with your administration on this issue.

Sincerely,

Rep. Quinn Johnson Rep. Stephanie T. Bolden

Rep. Rep. Earl Jaques

Rep. Trey Paradee Rep.

Rep. Rep.

Rep. Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf