JON TESTER Wnited States Senate October 28, 2015 ‘The Honorable Lamar Alexander ‘The Honorable Patty Murray Chairman Ranking Member Senate Committee on Health, Education, Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Labor, and Pensions 455 Dirksen Senate Office Building 154 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510 Dear Chairman Alexander and Ranking Member Murray: L write regarding your efforts to craft a compromise bill to overhaul our K-12 education system. Earlier this year, | introduced the Student Testing Improvement and Accountability Act (8.1025) because I believe we must address our increasingly burdensome testing regime, which robs our nation’s students and teachers of the classroom time necessary to ensure future generations are prepared to compete in the 21st century economy. As you work with the House of Representatives to replace No Child Left Behind, I urge you to maintain your focus on ensuring that this compromise bill reduces the amount of time students spend preparing for and taking standardized tests. ‘Asa parent and a grandparent, and a former teacher and school board member, I am deeply concemed that standardized tests eat up far too much classroom time and too many school resources. They are designed to measure student achievement and teacher performance, but they often force teachers to teach to the test and struggle to encourage our kids to think critically and creatively. A recent report found that students in some schools will take, on average, more than 100 mandatory tests between preschool and high school graduation, In eighth grade, these tests consume nearly a week’s worth of classroom time and that doesn’t even include the time students spend preparing for these tests. The report also showed that there is no evidence that more time spent on tests improves students’ academic performance, While I'm disappointed that my amendment to reduce testing (S.A.2129) was not included in the Senate’s bipartisan bill to replace No Child Left Behind, I believe there is still an opportunity to address the chronic over-testing that is paying few dividends for our students or our economic future. Notably, the Obama Administration recently joined the chorus of students, Parents, teachers, and administrators actoss the country calling for a better way of ensuring that our students are leaning. Bozeuan Bure Guenone near Fas Kausreu (406) 886-4450 (406) 720-2277 (406) 365-2301 (406) 452-9685 (ao) 445-5401 (aos) 257-2360 Buuwes Missous 1406} 252-0550 108) 728-2008Tknow we all share an unwavering commitment to do right by our nation’s students and I appreciate your work thus far in crafting much-needed bipartisan legislation to address a number of issues. I stand ready to assist you on this matter. Sincerely, Jon Tester