Reinstating the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) examination for second graders would put California at odds with federal law. In fact, the phase-out of the Grade 2 STAR examination has aligned California’s testing program with federal requirements in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (NCLB). The federal act requires statewide testing of pupils in instruments aligned to state standards beginning in Grade 3.
The Center for Evaluation and Student Learning has determined that standardized tests are not accurate when used for high-stakes decisions about students under age 8. The Center’s research indicates that tests intended for accountability purposes should be delayed until the end of Grade 3.
A study by the Association for Childhood Education International led the organization to stress strongly that “no standardized testing should occur in the preschool and K-2 years.”
With the phase-out of the second-grade exam, California joins the ranks of the 41 other states that have rejected STAR-equivalent testing for second-graders.
Second-grade testing also costs more than $2 million each year that could be better spent for other things, including instructional materials.