WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is calling for capping standardized testing at 2 percent of classroom time, and he says the government shares responsibility for the excessive focus on testing.
He’s targeting one of the most divisive issues in education today.
It’s not known how much classroom time students spend preparing for standardized tests. The tests became mandatory starting in third grade under the No Child Left Behind law.
On average, students spend between 20 and 25 hours a year actually taking the exams. That’s according to a study by the Council of Great City Schools.
Obama said in a Facebook video that learning is about more than filling in the right bubble. He said the government will work with schools and states to avoid an obsession over tests.
