The LAUSD board has approved a measure allowing ten schools to opt out of standardized testing starting in the 2025-26 school year.
At a Glance
- LAUSD voted 4-3 to allow 10 schools to opt out of standardized testing beginning in the 2025-26 school year
- Schools must develop and pilot innovative, authentic, rigorous, and relevant assessments
- Board President Jackie Goldberg supports the measure, aiming for a more holistic student assessment
- Critics express concerns about declining enrollment and maintaining educational standards
LAUSD Board Approves Measure
The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board narrowly approved, by a 4-3 vote, a measure allowing ten schools to opt out of standardized testing starting in the 2025-26 school year. This initiative, led by Board President Jackie Goldberg, represents a significant shift in how student progress is assessed.
Goldberg, who has long criticized the standardized “testing industry,” argues that current testing diminishes students’ enthusiasm for learning. The initiative aims to develop “innovative, authentic, rigorous, and relevant” assessments, excluding state and federally mandated tests.
Impacts and Requirements
The new policy mandates that schools establish innovative local assessment measures, developed by teachers and administrators. The Supporting Meaningful Teaching and Learning Initiative will provide professional development through Community School Coaches and the UCLA Center for Community Schooling.
The schools must integrate culturally relevant curricula, community- and project-based learning, and civic engagement. However, state testing in math, English Language Arts, and science will remain mandatory for certain grades.
Support and Criticism
Jackie Goldberg supports the initiative, arguing that standardized tests shift focus from enjoying education to merely improving test scores. Critics, however, emphasize concerns about declining enrollment and insufficient resources, stating the necessity of standardized tests for maintaining high educational standards.
“Because the whole goal of life became not the love of learning, not the enjoyment of education, not the exchange of ideas, but whether or not your school could move up on its test scores.”
Board members Tanya Ortiz Franklin and Nick Melvoin opposed the resolution, expressing concerns about removing traditional tests. Superintendent Alberto Carvalho also noted that the measure might conflict with his strategic plan, which relies on standardized data for school evaluation and guidance.
Pilot Program and Future Prospects
Under the policy, schools will begin piloting new approaches to student assessments in the 2025-26 school year. This initiative aligns with the teachers union, United Teachers Los Angeles, which opposes standardized testing. Board member Kelly Gonez expressed optimism about the potential for innovative and transformative education.
“I knew where my students were, what they could read, what they understood, what they didn’t — because that’s what you do when you teach,” Goldberg said. “You’re continuously assessing.”
While initially controversial, the resolution’s limit of ten schools opting out was a compromise. Original proposals had no limit. The hope is that the pilot program will provide valuable insights into potential benefits and areas for improvement in the current educational assessment landscape.
