OKLAHOMA CITY — State Superintendent Ryan Walters announced a change in end-of-year testing, which will start in the 2025-2026 school year.
For grades 3-8, Walters said he is ending traditional statewide summative testing "as we know it." He said schools will be allowed to use approved benchmark assessments in place of the current standardized tests in math and language arts.
WATCH: Walters pulls end-of-year statewide testing for grades 3-8
“The teachers-union-approach is failing our kids,” said Walters. “By moving away from outdated state tests and empowering local districts, we’re reducing the burden on students, parents, and teachers while ensuring high-quality education that bureaucrats or outside groups no longer drive.”
Walters said 81% of 23,000 parents said state testing is not necessary for evaluating student learning.
"For too long, students and parents have come in second while bureaucratic educators have called the shots - and that method has failed," Walters said. "Oklahoma families are greatly benefiting from The Trump Administration as he is giving power back to states, so we can give it back to parents, where it belongs. The verdict is clear: students, and families, are benefitting from the Trump Administration, and we are proud to follow their lead."
2 News spoke with Walters after he made the announcement. Walters emphasized the motivation behind this decision.
“We don’t want this big federal government testing scheme being pushed down on parents and teachers,” he stated. “This is a much better model for parents to have real-time information on how their kids are doing, and for the tests to be more related to what teachers are teaching and what parents want their children to know.”
In a recent WalletHub study, Oklahoma is ranked 50th in terms of education, a fact not lost on critics like Senate Democratic Leader Julia Kirt. Kirt characterized Walters' announcement as an attempt to distract from ongoing controversies surrounding his administration.
Local News
Walters denies allegations of inappropriate images shown during meeting
When asked if this new testing system was a response to criticisms of his administration, Walters firmly denied the claim. “That’s completely false. What we’re going to have now is more information,” he said, explaining that the benchmark assessments are nationally normed, allowing for comparisons with other states throughout the academic year.
The sudden announcement caught several local school leaders off guard. Owasso Superintendent Dr. Coates expressed a willingness to explore the changes, saying, “I’m open to the idea of eliminating state testing, and since this just came out today, I really look forward to learning more about what that would look like and how it might be implemented.”
The Broken Arrow School District released a statement emphasizing their commitment to academic accountability while also raising concerns about the timing of the announcement. Just days before the school year starts, they noted that the changes “raise a number of questions.” Both districts are eagerly awaiting further information from the State Department of Education.
Walters credited the Trump Administration for supporting this shift in testing approach. “They've been crystal clear, we want to return power to the states,” he said. "They've been tremendous partners in saying, 'Hey, look, that sounds great to us.'"
As schools gear up for a new educational year, Walters remains optimistic about the future of Oklahoma's education system. “We're going to continue on the mission. I'm going to continue to fight for Oklahoma parents. We're going to continue to make our schools the best schools in the country for our kids, for our parents,” he asserted.
For full statements from school and state leaders read below:
Oklahoma House Oversight Chairman Dell Krebs responded to the announcement saying the end-of-year tests are required by state and federal law:
"End-of-year state assessments are mandated by both state and federal law. The Legislature has consistently worked to make student testing more efficient and meaningful for students, parents, and teachers. We look forward to continued collaboration with Superintendent Walters and school districts so that any proposed changes to student testing align with state law and provides clear, actionable information on student college and career readiness."
The Oklahoma Senate Democrats shared this joint statement:
“Another day, another Superintendent Ryan Walters political stunt. Oklahomans are tired of it. As students are going back to school, what parents want to know is pretty simple: Does my child have a quality teacher in their classroom, and do they have the support they need to educate my child and set them up for success? The only reason Ryan Walters is even talking about high-stakes testing is to distract folks from the countless scandals that have happened under his watch. His leadership is a disgrace, but what’s even more disgraceful is the legislators who are unwilling to hold him accountable and do the hard work of solving the real problems happening in our state.” – Senate Democratic Leader Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City.
“Just days before school starts, the State Superintendent creates confusion instead of clarity. He’s proven – again – that he doesn’t understand how to do the job. Thankfully, our teachers and principals are leading with vision and keeping their students at the center of their focus.” – Senator Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City.
Here's what Broken Arrow Public Schools said:
"Educators believe in academic accountability, but the timing of this unexpected announcement – right as we start the new school year – raises a number of questions. We want to ensure we are accurately measuring and reporting student growth, and we are hopeful this change will be positive for Oklahoma schools. We look forward to hearing more details from the State Department of Education.”
Here's what Jenks Public Schools said:
"Jenks Public Schools already monitors student progress throughout the school year to measure academic growth and assess where students may benefit from additional interventions. Although mandatory state tests have never been the only metric used to determine student performance, removing them will allow more time for instruction without the disruption or pressure on students caused by a standardized test. Jenks teachers have never advocated for state testing. Our professional educators have pushed for more relevant means of assessing student progress to and using the results to immediately adjust instruction for student learning. We are hopeful these changes will be made for more meaningful assessment of student academic growth."
Walters attributed the go-ahead for these changes to the Trump Administration, which he claims has encouraged a return of power to the states. “They’ve been crystal clear, we want to return power to the states...They’ve been tremendous partners in saying, ‘Hey, look, that sounds great to us,’” Walters said.
Looking forward to the upcoming school year, Walters remains optimistic. “We’re going to continue on the mission. I’m going to continue to fight for Oklahoma parents. We’re going to continue to make our schools the best schools in the country for our kids, for our parents,” he concluded.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Watch LIVE 24/7 on YouTube
