What does FairTest do?

FairTest works to end the misuses and flaws of standardized testing and to ensure that evaluation of students, teachers and schools is fair, open, valid and educationally beneficial. We are an advocacy organization that provides information and technical assistance to grassroots organization, federal, state and local policymakers, and media with the goal of changing assessment and accountability policy in K-12 education to be less reliant on standardized tests. FairTest promotes the use of authentic performance based assessment as a way of fostering deeper learning and critical thinking and creating equitable culturally responsive education practice. FairTest works toward the reduction and elimination of standardized tests as high stakes instruments. We have been instrumental in the movement away from using standardized testing in college and graduate admissions. Our encouragement of test optional and test free admissions policies has helped result in over 80% of four-year colleges adopting such policies.