Pearson out, Questar in to develop state tests

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The New York State Education Department has selected Questar Assessment to develop math and English Language Arts assessments for grades three to eight, replacing Pearson Education.

Minneapolis, Minn.-based Questar won a five-year, $44 million contract that includes options for districts to administer tests on computers – and would end stand-alone tests given to try out new questions.

Questar, which also has offices in Brewster, NY, beat out three other firms to win the contract, which the state’s attorney general and comptroller must still approve.

Questar was chosen amid widespread dissatisfaction with tests and the process developed by Pearson Education in conjunction with the state.

Questar has implemented more than 100 large-scale assessment programs in 19 states since 1976, as standardized testing spreads.

New York, as part of The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, a coalition of states, previously had tapped London-based Pearson, which also has offices in Manhattan.

But some states in that coalition are switching to new providers, amid concerns over the tests. Mississippi, for instance, in April approved a 10-year, $110.9 million statewide testing contract with Questar beginning in the 2015-16 school year.

“Our students deserve the best, most accurate assessments we can give them,” Board of Regents Chancellor Merryl Tisch said in a written statement. “Teachers and parents should have clear, practical information to help them help their students learn.”

She said the goal of the new contract is to “continue to improve the assessments to make sure they provide the instructional support parents and teachers need to prepare our students for college and careers.”

Some critics of the tests that Pearson designed along with the state voiced support for the choice, which they hoped would lead to a different process and different exams.

“By not renewing the state’s contract with Pearson and committing to an inclusive policy of active teacher participation in test preparation, the State Education Department has taken a positive step forward for the benefit of students, parents and educators throughout New York,” State Sen. Jack Martins said in a written statement.

Martins said simply changing the company that designs the test itself is only part of the changes taking place.

“More important than just changing vendors, the State Education Commissioner and Board of Regents Chancellor have pledged that teachers will be included in every step of the development process of these exams,” Martins continued.

Tisch said “this new contract also recognizes how vitally important it is to have New York State teachers involved in the test development process.”

New York State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia said the state’s teachers “will be involved in every step of the test development process.”

“Teacher input is critical to building a successful state test, and that’s why the new contract emulates the collaborative process used to develop the Regents exams,” she said.

Martins said that “active teacher participation in developing questions for the students that they teach is a commonsense step that was lacking over the last few years.”

“It’s also one that parents, educators, and legislators have been demanding,” Martins said. “It’s great to see that (the New York State Education Department) and the Board of Regents are listening, and acting.”

The contract also calls for “embedding” or including field test multiple-choice items in 22-28 computer delivered operational test forms per grade level.

The state currently gives stand-alone tests to hundreds of thousands of students, who take the exams exclusively to test out questions.