WASHINGTON, D.C. (WSAU) - Wisconsin and 30 other states will share millions of dollars in federal cash, for what educators say will be a faster, better way to measure school kids’ academic progress.
The U.S. Education Department is providing 330-million dollars in Race to the Top funding, to two multi-state consortiums. Wisconsin’s part of what’s called the SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium, which is getting 160-million dollars to better measure students in grades 3-8, and the 11th grade, in math and English skills.
In a conference call with reporters, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan outlined how the 31-state group will use its award. He says the SMARTER Consortium will test students using computer adaptive technology.