UMATILLA COUNTY — Oregon schools are getting unprecedented flexibility in how they conduct state testing this year in the face of a year marred by the COVID-19 pandemic, but Umatilla
Hermiston School District has announced it will opt out of state testing for the current school year.
School districts usually have students participate in state assessments in reading, math and science each spring. But Superintendent Tricia Mooney said this year the district will forgo those assessments in order to maximize the in-person instructional time students have left instead.
âThis is really about supporting our kids and supporting our teachers,â she said.
Usually, state testing takes between one to two weeks for students to complete. Even with much shorter tests this year, it would still mean time not in front of a teacher for students who just returned to in-person classes. Mooney said testing often creates anxiety for students, as well, and the district doesnât want to add to what has already been an anxious time.