A service of Salisbury University and University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Standardized Testing Opt Out Passed Delaware House

Don Rush

DOVER, Del. (AP) - The state House has approved a revised bill allowing school students to opt out of state standardized testing.

The bill passed Tuesday after lawmakers rescinded a vote just minutes earlier defeating the measure.

The original legislation allowed parents to have children skip annual state assessments without repercussions. It's aimed at the Smarter Balanced Assessment, which is tied to Common Core standards being adopted in Delaware and other states. The bill faces a possible veto by Gov. Jack Markell.

After initial House passage, the Senate added amendments allowing high school juniors to skip the statewide test without their parents' consent, and allowing students to opt out of both statewide and district-wide tests.

The bill now goes back to the Senate because the House stripped the Senate exemption for high school juniors.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.