If you’ve watched your child struggle with a single standardized test and felt it didn’t capture their true abilities, you’re not alone. Many parents have sensed that one test can’t measure everything a student knows. Now, several states are taking that intuition seriously—and the federal government is listening.
States Request New Testing Options Under ESSA
Idaho has asked the U.S. Department of Education for permission to let high schoolers choose their assessment from a menu of state-approved tests—including the SAT, ACT, ACT WorkKeys, and the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. Currently, all students take the same test, which state officials say provides limited information about student growth.
“Because the high school exam is offered just once, it can’t be used to provide a meaningful picture of student growth,” said Idaho Superintendent Debbie Critchfield. “A student can flunk the test and still graduate on time, so there’s little motivation for students to try their best.”
Several states want to let students choose how they're tested—SAT, ACT, or career assessments instead of just one test. Here's what this means for families.
Why Multiple Assessments Matter
The proposed menu approach reflects something researchers have long understood: different students demonstrate their knowledge in different ways. A student who struggles with timed, high-stakes testing may thrive when showing what they know through career-readiness assessments or college entrance exams.
Alabama is pursuing a similar path, proposing that all students take both the ACT (measuring college readiness) and ACT WorkKeys (measuring career readiness). “We want to make certain we’re doing what’s right for the boys and girls of Alabama, to make certain that there are options there that get them ready for life after K-12,” said Alabama State Schools Chief Eric Mackey.
Quote: Because the high school exam is offered just once, it can’t be used to provide a meaningful picture of student growth. A student can flunk the test and still graduate on time, so there’s little motivation for students to try their best.Attribution: Debbie Critchfield, Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction
Laura Lurns · Learning Success expert
What This Means for Families
For parents, these changes could mean more opportunities for students to show their strengths rather than being defined by a single test outcome. Indiana is also seeking flexibility to redirect school improvement funds directly to students—allowing the state to send money to charter schools or neighboring districts willing to serve students from struggling schools.
“This shift empowers more creative and student-centered solutions in the environment that best meets each student’s needs,” Indiana wrote in its waiver request. The approach reflects a growing recognition that one-size-fits-all accountability systems don’t serve every child equally.
Key takeaways
- Testing Flexibility: Idaho, Alabama, and Indiana are seeking federal flexibility to offer students more assessment choices beyond a single standardized test.
- Parent Empowerment: The changes could give families more voice in how students demonstrate their knowledge and skills.
- Accountability Focus: The Department says flexibility must improve academic outcomes, not obscure school performance.
Looking Ahead
The Department of Education has signaled openness to these requests while maintaining core accountability requirements. Assistant Secretary Kirsten Baesler emphasized that waivers “have to improve academic achievement” and that the goal is not to let states “hide schools that aren’t performing.”
For parents, the message is clear: the system is beginning to recognize what you’ve known all along—your child is more than a single test score. As these waiver requests move forward, staying informed about your state’s options will help you advocate for the assessment approach that works best for your child.
Quote: We want to make certain we’re doing what’s right for the boys and girls of Alabama, to make certain that there are options there that get them ready for life after K-12.Attribution: Eric Mackey, Alabama State Schools Chief
Laura Lurns · Learning Success expert
Your child’s potential isn’t captured by a single test score.Brains change rapidly when given the right opportunities, and assessment should measure growth, not固化 fixed limitations. The movement toward testing flexibility reflects what parent advocates have long believed: different students demonstrate their knowledge in different ways. If you’re ready to stop letting a test define what your child can achieve, the Learning Success All Access Program offers a free trial that includes a personalized Action Plan—and you keep that plan even if you decide it’s not the right fit.
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Why we use AI, plainly: it writes from a knowledge base our team maintains and audits. We work through it line by line and pull anything the evidence stops supporting. The roadmap you get on Tuesday reflects what we corrected on Monday, and a human still reads it before you do.
Your school district must evaluate your child free of charge if you ask in writing, whatever your income and whatever the outcome (US, 34 CFR 300.111 and 300.301(b)). That route takes time and answers a different question than you do. This one starts today, from what you already know.
Your answers stay yours. We do not sell your personal information, and we do not hand identifiable assessment data to outside AI companies to train their models.
A screener is a starting point, not a diagnosis. If your child might need formal accommodations (an IEP or 504 plan), or you suspect a vision, hearing or medical cause, pursue a professional evaluation too. That is the only route to those supports.
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