Here's the answer to Testing in the 21st Century.
This is what NineShift has been advocating for several years now. But now the U.K. is starting to move in that direction. That's exciting. From the BBC Story:
"Instead of preparing pupils for the high stakes tests at the end of each key stage, teachers' focus would be on assessing when a child is able to move up one level in the national curriculum grades.
When they think a child is ready they can put them in for a test that will be set and marked outside the school. They will not have to wait, as now, until pupils reach the end of a key stage at seven, 11 or 14.
This will mean 'several shorter, more
focused, and more appropriate tests' for each child, rather than one big
test at the end of the key stage." Yep, that's the Answer. What do you think? (photo promoting our online conference June 20-21 on testing online)