Things are moving again in Springfield, and the Too Young to Test bill, SB 3986, we're working on has a Senate Education Committee hearing at 1:30 tomorrow afternoon!

Please put in a witness slip as a PROPONENT before the hearing! Witness slip filing instructions here.

Read our one-pager here for more detailed info about the bill.

This bill is in part a response to the proposal the IL State Board of Education is considering to expand the high-stakes standardized testing system into K-2. State standardized testing in K-2 is not valid and reliable, not required by federal law and not wanted by the majority of teachers, parents and administrators who know that standardized testing isn't developmental appropriate for children under age 8. 

This bill would stop that, and it would also prevent future attempts at expansion. It does have exceptions for assessments that local districts select and pay for themselves; diagnostic and screening assessments e.g. for disabilities or developmental delays; federally-required tests of English-language learners; and the existing KIDS kindergarten observational tool. It's important to assess what children know and can do, but standardized testing isn't the way to do that in these early years.

If you have another minute to spare, please also give your State Senator a call and ask them to sign on as a co-sponsor to SB3986. Find their phone number here. (It's fine to leave a message along with your name if no one picks up!)

Suggested script: Hi, I'm a constituent and I'm calling to ask Sen. _____ to sign on as a co-sponsor of SB 3986, the Too Young to Test bill. The last thing we need right now in public school in the early grades is more standardized testing. We need developmentally appropriate curriculum that emphasizes exploration, inquiry and play, and supporting the physical and social needs of our youngest learners!

Let us know what you are hearing when you call! [email protected]

Thanks for your continued advocacy amidst these stressful times!