This Letter to the Editor appeared at Cleveland.com.

A Sept. 4 article outlines new legislation that, if passed, would continue a freeze on state report cards and performance assessments for Ohio schools (“Cancel state testing, freeze report cards?”). This raises serious concerns about undermining parents’ ability to hold schools accountable.

While the idea of a freeze is understandable, given the ongoing uncertainty associated with COVID-19, legislators should be certain that parents can still obtain information to accurately assess how well their school is educating students.

A long-term freeze on testing would limit — or completely eliminate — information available to parents, hobbling their ability to decide what, if any, supplemental education services their student might need or whether they should switch schools.

Despite the unprecedented challenges facing Ohio’s schools, parents need this vital assessment information so they can make the right schooling decisions for their students.

Greg R. Lawson
Research Fellow
The Buckeye Institute
Columbus