LITTLE ROCK, AR – In a reversal of its decision last month, the Arkansas Board of Education has voted to switch to ACT testing instead of PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) testing.
The vote late Thursday morning was 4-2.
The board voted to authorize the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) to pursue a sole source contract with ACT and ACT Aspire to offer testing in the 2015-2016 school year.
On June 11, the State Board of Education voted against a recommendation from Gov. Asa Hutchinson and decided to remain with the PARCC testing system for the next year.
Today’s decision is in line with what the governor requested via a letter to the ADE commissioner on June 22. The recommendation had come from the Council on Common Core Review.
Governor Asa Hutchinson released the following statement following the Board of Education’s vote:
“I applaud the Board of Education for its vote in switching from PARCC to ACT/ACT Aspire. The board members were thoughtful and deliberate on this issue and reached a final decision that I think is best for our students and teachers over the long term. It provides stability and aligns Arkansas with a nationally recognized testing system.
“I appreciate the hard work of the Board and the meaningful discussions it held on this issue. Its willingness to move away from PARCC and seek this new contract is an indication of the Board’s continued dedication to putting Arkansas’s students first. I especially want to thank Commissioner Key, the Department of Education and members of the Common Core Review Council for their hard work in addressing this matter.”