Pearson's Out as New York's Common Core Testmaker

The State Education Department today announced that Questar Assessment, Inc. will be awarded the contract to develop the State’s grades 3-8 ELA and mathematics assessments.

Questar Assessment is based in Minneapolis, MN and has offices in Brewster, NY.

The new contract, valued at approximately $44 million, will run for five years and include a district option to administer the tests on computers.

“Our students deserve the best, most accurate assessments we can give them,” Board of Regents Chancellor Merryl H. Tisch said in a prepared statement. “Teachers and parents should have clear, practical information to help them help their students learn. Our goal 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. This new contract also recognizes how vitally important it is to have New York State teachers involved in the test development process.”

The old contract was held by Pearson, the international education testing and textbook giant.

The tests designed for New York by Pearson for the Common Core standards were widely despised, and the anti-testing movement gained extraordinary momentum in the past year.

Grassroots opposition groups such as nystoptesting.com gained members, resources and clout—and discovered that getting parents to formally opt their children out of tests was a potent weapon. So many families were going that route that many local school districts, such as Brewster, had instructions for them on their websites:

Procedures for Students not Participating in the State Assessment Program

“This is obviously big news,” said Ossining schools Superintendent Ray Sanchez. “Pearson’s been involved in the state testing process for years.”

Among the problems with the Pearson tests, he said, were the amount of time testing took up, the length of each exam, the age-appropriateness, the level of secrecy and the validity of the results.

“If we want better results it’s not about more testing it’s about more teaching,” Sanchez said. ”We’ll be watching with keen eyes. to see what it all means for students here and throughout the state.”

The contract with the new company must still be approved by the Attorney General and State Comptroller.

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

State teachers union officials were pleased.

“This is a victory for parents and teachers. Pearson had a bad product,” said NYSUT spokesman Carl Korn. ”This is the beginning step of turning the page on New York’s failed testing policy and restoring trust in teachers.”

Elia said that Questar, Inc. will also provide computer based testing (CBT) platforms that will help reduce the need for stand-alone field tests and help make the state’s assessments better instructional tools.

The new contract has two components.

According to the SED, Component 1 is for the development of grades 3–8 ELA and mathematics assessments and an operational bank of test items. Component 2 is for the development of CBT capabilities for administration of grades 3–8 ELA and mathematics assessments. The vendor must provide test administration and test delivery platforms that can be used by computers at New York State’s public, nonpublic, and charter schools. The vendor will move toward embedding all field test multiple-choice items in approximately 22-28 computer delivered operational test forms per grade level.

Under the terms of the contract, New York State teachers will be instrumental in the development of the assessments at several stages in the process.

“That’s an important step forward,” Korn said.

Questar, Inc. was awarded the contract through an RFP process. Four firms bid on the contract. The original RFP can be found on the NYSED website.

Sanchez said he hoped that parents, educators and education officials could now talk about the amount of testing that’s taking place.

“I do see they’re looking to create a bank of questions that would eliminate field testing and gain instructional time for teaching and learning,” he said. ”I’ll wait to see what that really means...I don’t want to be overly optimistic.”

On its website, Questar says this about its tests:

We provide an experience that is different from any other assessment provider We bring an innovative approach to assessment for a better customer experience. What makes us unique — our focus on building a bridge between learning and accountability, developed over nearly 40 years of experience providing educational assessments — allows us to deliver high-quality, highly reliable state assessments and provide data at the state, district and classroom level to enhance student learning.

“We are delighted to partner with the State of New York on their statewide summative assessment program,” said Jamie Post Candee, President and Chief Executive Officer of Questar Assessment, Inc.

The new contract has two components.

Component 1 is for the development of grades 3–8 ELA and mathematics assessments and an operational bank of test items. Component 2 is for the development of CBT capabilities for administration of grades 3–8 ELA and mathematics assessments. The vendor must provide test administration and test delivery platforms that can be used by computers at New York State’s public, nonpublic, and charter schools. The vendor will move toward embedding all field test multiple-choice items in approximately 22-28 computer delivered operational test forms per grade level.

Under the terms of the contract, New York State teachers will be instrumental in the development of the assessments at several stages in the process, state education officials said.

“That’s an important step forward,” Korn said.

Questar, Inc. was awarded the contract through an RFP process. Four firms bid on the contract. The original RFP can be found on the NYSED website.