Next for Standardized Testing in K-12 Education

Standardized testing has shaped K-12 education for decades. But as classrooms evolve, many educators are rethinking its role and asking: Is this really the best way to measure student learning? 

Of course, the answer isn’t simple, but it’s clear that assessment is changing. Schools are shifting toward more balanced approaches that prioritize meaningful insights, reduce stress, and reflect what students can really do. 

In this blog post, we’ll explore:

• Why schools are moving beyond traditional tests
• What new assessment strategies are gaining momentum
• How K-12 leaders can rethink assessment without sacrificing meaningful data
• What the future might look like – and how to prepare

The pros and cons of standardized testing

There’s no denying the value that standardized tests have brought over the years. They’ve helped set benchmarks, compare performance across schools and states, and ensure accountability. 

But for many districts, the drawbacks have started to outweigh the benefits.

What’s worked well:

• A shared data point for measuring progress
• Long-term insights into equity and achievement gaps
• External accountability to support state and federal policies

What’s fallen short:

• Too much teaching to the test
• Limited usefulness for day-to-day instruction
• High levels of student (and teacher) stress
• A one-size-fits-all approach to diverse learners

According to American University, students spend up to 25 hours a year taking standardized tests, and states spend nearly $2 billion annually on them. That’s a lot of time and money for data that’s often too late to be useful in the classroom.

The pandemic didn’t just disrupt learning; it pushed schools to rethink how they measure success. In many cases, that meant turning to new strategies for checking in on student growth, well-being, and readiness, beyond a single annual exam.

District leaders are now asking:

• How can we make assessments more useful for teachers?

• How do we measure the whole child, not just academics?

• How do we reduce test fatigue and still get the insights we need?

The good news? Many states now encourage schools to use multiple measures to evaluate progress. And that opens the door for more flexible, student-centered options.

A closer look: The decline of high school exit exams

Standardized testing hasn’t disappeared, but high-stakes graduation tests are on the decline.

In the early 2000s, more than half of U.S. states required students to pass a standardized exit exam to earn a diploma. As of 2024, that number has dropped to just eight: Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, *New York, Ohio, Texas, and Virginia. (*New York is planning to phase out its Regents Exam requirements by the 2027-28 school year.)

What’s driving the shift? Decades of research point to serious drawbacks.

Exit exams have not raised achievement but have actually created barriers to graduation and long-term success, leading to increased dropout rates, especially for English learners, students with disabilities, and students from low-income families.

Some states have even begun offering retroactive diplomas or alternative graduation pathways for students who didn’t initially pass the exit exam but met other requirements.

The takeaway? The tide is shifting. States are beginning to rethink what meaningful assessment and meaningful graduation should actually look like.

Alternatives to standardized testing that are gaining ground

Replacing standardized testing entirely isn’t always realistic, but supplementing it with more meaningful measures can be a game-changer. 

Here are a few assessment strategies more and more districts are embracing:

Formative assessments: Low-stakes checks for understanding that help teachers adjust instruction in the moment.

Portfolios: A collection of student work that shows growth over time, especially valuable for project-based and performance-based learning.

Performance tasks: Real-world assignments (think: presentations, labs, essays) that reveal how students apply what they’ve learned.

Sampling: Testing a representative group of students instead of everyone, reducing overall testing time and cost.

Stealth and game-based assessments: Embedded in digital tools, these assess learning as students play or interact – no separate testing needed. 

We dive deeper into several of these options in our blog, How to Measure Student Progress Without Standardized Tests.

The role of standardized tests in a balanced system

Standardized tests aren’t going away completely anytime soon, and they do still offer value. The key is using them as one piece of a broader, more balanced assessment system that includes:

• State-required summative tests
• Regular, standards-aligned formative assessments
• Portfolios and student reflections 
• SEL and behavior data
• Classroom performance and growth over time

When these elements work together, they paint a more complete picture of student learning – one that’s more equitable, more timely, and more supportive.

How Otus supports a smarter approach to assessment

Otus is designed to help K-12 districts create assessment options that are flexible, actionable, and aligned with local goals, as well as fully utilize the data generated from standardized tests.

With Otus, schools can:

• Create and deliver custom formative and summative assessments
• View assessment results alongside state test scores and benchmark data
• Track student growth with student portfolios and plans

Otus brings assessment, data, and insights together in one place, so educators can spend less time piecing things together from testing and more time supporting students.