At the September 3 meeting of the state’s Board of Public Works, the state approved a nearly $60 million contract for an outside vendor to develop and administer online testing under the revised “Common Core” curriculum standards that Maryland and most states are moving toward.
From coverage on MarylandReporter.com:
According to the BPW agenda, the contractor, NCS Pearson Inc. of Iowa City, Iowa, will “provide a complete assessment system including test development; assessment administration; psychometric services; reporting; standard setting; and program management to [the Maryland State Department of Education] in English and math in grades 3-8 and algebra and English for high school students.
“These K-12 assessments will build a pathway to college and career readiness by the end of high school, mark students’ progress toward this goal from grade 3 through high school, and provide teachers with timely information to inform instruction and provide student support,” education officials told the board.
The tests will ultimately be used as part of teacher evaluations as well.
