Brandywine School District says it's time to change standardized testing

WILMINGTON, Delaware (WPVI) -- A New Castle County school district says it's time to change standardized testing.

The Brandywine School District Board of Education is looking to make changes, not just for their own students, but for the entire state.

Right now, the standardized testing used by the state is called Smarter Balanced. Delaware is one of eight states to use it.

The Brandywine School District wants to abolish it in favor of a state-designed test or another testing measure.

They say the test is too long, creating anxiety for both students and staff.

"The length of the test is problematic and produces anxiety for both students and staff. We believe that a well-designed test can measure student achievement in an hour or two and provide valuable data to inform instruction," wrote Ralph Ackerman, president of the Brandywine School District Board of Education, in a letter to the state.

They also want to eliminate testing in every grade and only assess certain grades.

The school board plans to discuss the next steps at a Delaware School Boards Association meeting Wednesday night.