March 19, 2015
JACKSON, Miss. – The Mississippi Board of Education and the Mississippi Department of Education stated publicly that we were committed to an open and transparent bid process for the multi-year contract for statewide testing of students. That commitment has not changed despite rampant misinformation to the contrary.
It was our intent to refrain from additional comment until after the proposals had been submitted, reviewed and a selection was made and presented to the Board for its approval in April. The swirl of accusations around the Request for Proposals (RFP) – such as, “We thought the RFP was going to be an open process, but obviously it’s not” – has called into question the integrity of the MDE and the Board, to whom MDE answers. To say that we misled the public is categorically untrue and offensive and must be addressed.
Neither the Board nor MDE has had any personal interest in a particular vendor receiving the contract. Advocating for a particular testing company flies in the face of an open process.
We are fully aware how competitive the assessment business can be and that companies advocate for their own interests. That is why we have gone to great lengths to follow the letter of the law throughout the RFP process.
The RFP is for the English Language Arts and Mathematics Grades 3 – 8 assessments, end of course assessments in Algebra I and English II, and an optional Geometry and/or Algebra II assessment that are completely aligned to the Mississippi College and Career-Ready Standards for English Language Arts and Mathematics. MDE’s primary goal with respect to test design is ensuring that the assessments measure student mastery of the Mississippi standards, and accomplishes this in the most cost-effective way.
The MDE ended its request for bids for a new multi-year contract for statewide testing on Monday, March 16. An independent team of evaluators, including district superintendents and teachers, will review the proposals and will select the vendor that best meets the requirements of the RFP.
What is lost in this conversation is making sure Mississippi students have the same chance for academic success as students in other states. To that end, here is the sole purpose of statewide assessments: To find out if students are learning and making progress in school so that they can either further their education at a college or university or directly enter the workforce.
Statewide assessments measure student learning. They provide feedback to parents, students and teachers about student progress and mastery, and give lawmakers information to help drive education policy.
Various statements have been made regarding the statewide testing system, which have placed a cloud of suspicion around the procurement process. Here are the facts:
- PARCC is not a vendor or testing company. It is a group of states that developed an assessment. I sat on the PARCC governing board when Mississippi was a member of this consortia, as did the state superintendents before me. Mississippi is no longer a member of the PARCC consortia, and Mississippi is no longer a member of the governing board. The current PARCC test is for the current school year only.
- MDE’s Office of Student Assessment contracted with Assessment Solutions Group Inc. (ASG) to assist MDE with writing the RFP. The company started in 2009 and has helped state departments of education navigate their way through the design, procurement and management phases of assessments. It was critical to have someone with expertise in the field to write the RFP, and ASG employees have worked for several different testing companies.
- The ASG employee who helped write Mississippi’s RFP never worked for Pearson testing company. One of ASG’s managing partners, Barry Topol, worked for Pearson for 90 days during a transition period after Pearson acquired his former employer’s company.
- Finally, we detailed key requirements for vendors when the RFP was released. Any company could bid if they met the requirements, including:
- The test will be a single end-of-year exam instead of a two-part test.
- The assessment must have a 3rd party verification that tests are fully aligned to the standards.
- The tests must include a variety of item types, including multiple choice, constructed response, writing, technology enhanced, and performance tasks.
- The 3rd Grade ELA assessment will be used for promotion/retention decisions according to current state law. It must measure the five components of reading, including foundational reading skills.
- Online testing is necessary for the fall of 2015, although some students who need accommodations may require paper and pencil versions.
- Customized reports are also required.
Students deserve an educational system that prepares them for a successful future. Parents should be able to know whether or not their children have the knowledge and skills they need to succeed. The business community needs to be assured that it has a skilled and prepared workforce.
Those demands are the driving forces behind the decisions of the Board and the MDE. We remain committed to doing what’s right for them.
Media Contact:
Patrice Guilfoyle, APR
Director of Communications
601-359-3706
Jean Cook, APR
Communications Specialist
601-359-3519