The State House passed bipartisan legislation reducing the time spent on standardized testing last week by eliminating the mandate that all students complete the ACT WorkKeys test.

The legislation, which now goes to the State Senate for their consideration, allows districts and students who want to take the test to “opt in” instead.  This would save time and money on test administration but maintain the availability of the test for students interested in going into skilled trades, many of which use WorkKeys scores to determine aptitude for apprenticeships.

MEA supported the legislation (HB 4037, 4038 and 4538), reducing the time spent on standardized testing while making sure WorkKeys remains an option for those students who need it to access post-secondary opportunities.