“US awards $330 million to two coalitions of states to develop standardized testing as part of its Race to the Top competition; tests to employ computers to measure students' skills.  

Put down your No. 2 pencils and get ready for the next generation of standardized tests, featuring fewer multiple choice questions and increased use of computers. As part of its Race to the Top competition, the US Department of Education awarded $330 million today to two coalitions of states to help them develop new ways of measuring whether students are on track to be ready for college and 21st -century careers. ‘These new tests will be an absolute game-changer in public education,’ said Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in announcing the grants. “They’ll be better, smarter assessments -- the kind of tests our teachers want and our students need.”

The testing systems will align with the new Common Core Standards in math and English language arts that nearly 40 states have already agreed to adopt. When the new tests are rolled out in 2014-15, the states in each coalition will be able to compare results with, and learn from, one another…”

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The Article Above Was Written By Stacy Teicher Khadaroo From The Christian Science Monitor 9/2/2010