The PARCC Examination
According to the Denver Post, (8/3/2015) and Education Week (July 23, 2015) the PARCC (Partnership of Readiness for College and Careers) faces “an “uncertain future”. The “once strong” examination is bleeding members.” Some of the original 24 states (in 2010) that gave the tests this past spring are either backing out of giving them this coming school year or are on the bench because of either budgetary or political reasons.
Last spring ten states and Washington DC gave the tests but at least 3 states have declined to give the test next school year. Arkansas, Mississippi and Ohio won’t be giving the test next year due to educational budget cuts or votes by their school boards. Louisiana is barred from using PARCC test items for a majority of its exam next school year. In addition there is a serious push in Massachusetts for not to give the PARCC in the 2015-2016 school year. The number of states giving the PARCC examination in 2015-2016 school year will total six (Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico and Rhode Island). If Massachusetts ultimately chooses PARCC, that number rises to seven and D.C.
Tom Loveless, a senior fellow with the Brookings Institution, a Washington, DC based think tank said, “PARCC’s future is cloudy.”