Tucson Students Face Fewer Standardized Tests

Changes in Standardized Testing for Students in Tucson Unified School District

Starting this school year, students in the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) will experience a significant reduction in the number of standardized tests they are required to take. This change marks a major shift in the district’s approach to assessment and is expected to provide more time for teaching and learning.

The decision was made through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the TUSD and the Tucson Education Association (TEA), which was approved by the TUSD Governing Board last week. The agreement was initially drafted in May 2025 and officially released on July 29. According to the MOU, some students will see up to 50% fewer tests compared to previous years.

The TEA has long advocated for reducing non-mandated testing, believing that it allows teachers to better assess their students. Jim Byrne, president of the TEA, emphasized that educators and students have raised concerns about excessive testing over the years. During the 2024-2025 school year, the union collected over 1,200 signatures from educators and families advocating for change. This led to the formation of a TEA-TUSD Task Force, which worked to develop practical solutions.

Byrne noted that while the initial goal was to eliminate all testing, the current agreement represents progress. He highlighted that the focus is on reducing instructional time lost due to test preparation and rescheduling. “This change is a big boost to our students’ learning conditions,” he said.

Dr. Ravi Shah, a member of the TUSD Governing Board who supported the reduction in testing, shared his perspective as a parent of three TUSD students. “I don’t want my kids to be over-tested. I want them to be learning and growing and getting the material, not focused all the time on test-taking,” he explained. While he believes the changes will lead to better outcomes, he also acknowledged that it is an ongoing process.

Shah emphasized the importance of maintaining some level of assessment to monitor student progress. “Our goal is not to have too much testing, but we do want to have some assessment so we know what’s going on,” he said. He added that the district will continue to evaluate the effectiveness of the new testing policies.

Breakdown of Assessments by Grade Grouping

K-8 Assessments

• Quarterly Benchmarks: These will no longer be used.
• DIBELS: The End of Year (EOY) Window will be adjusted to occur after state testing. DIBELS will stop being used as a growth measure for teachers in grades K–3 for the Teacher Evaluation, pending Governing Board approval. For the 2025-26 school year, teachers in grades K–3 will receive the school average for their growth score. However, DIBELS will still be used as a state-approved screener for Move On When Reading (MOWR).
• i-Ready Diagnostic: This will be the common interim measure for the district, administered at the beginning, middle, and end of the year for all K-8 students. The district will identify the best testing windows and review implementation practices.
• Structured English Immersion (SEI): Students will continue to use EL Assessment practices aligned with state and program requirements.
• Two-Way-Dual Language Schools: Assessment practices will remain unchanged, following programmatic requirements.

High School

• ACT Mimics: Required in grades 9 through 11, twice a year. These assessments ensure comparability, aggregated and disaggregated data, and predictability for monitoring and reporting.
• Comprehensive Balanced Assessment Framework: Encouraged for individual schools to develop sound assessment practices.
• Assessment Task Force Continuation: The task force will meet at least twice during the 2025–2026 school year to:
• Establish more manageable testing practices across schools.
• Reduce or remove redundant assessments.
• Disentangle grant and federal program requirements from non-state-mandated assessments.
• Make recommendations to the Superintendent and Governing Board.