Feds approve NH’s alternative to standardized tests

The federal Department of Education has approved another year for New Hampshire’s Performance Assessment of Competency Education (PACE) Pilot assessments.

The PACE pilot program replaces all but three annual assessment tests with tasks and projects that are integrated with classwork.

According to the state Department of Education website, “PACE is a first-in-the-nation accountability strategy that offers a reduced level of standardized testing together with locally developed common performance assessments. These assessments are designed to support deeper learning through competency education, and to be more integrated into students’ day-to-day work than current standardized tests.” 

Next year nine districts will participate in PACE.

Supporters of PACE argue that standardized tests take too much classroom time without helping students learn.

However, PACE assessments require significant resources from local school districts to develop, administer, and grade. That commitment may be out of reach for some school districts that already struggle to adequately fund education.

Would you like your school district to pilot competency-based assessments? Share your opinion in the comments.