Beginning this academic year, schools in Oklahoma will be allowed to use benchmark assessments in place of the current high-stakes end-of-year tests for grades 3-8 in Math and English Language Arts, State Superintendent Ryan Walters announced Friday.

In a press release dated August 4, 2025, the OSDE said the decision followed an overwhelming response from parents; "81% of the nearly 23,000 surveyed expressed state testing is not necessary for evaluating student learning."

"The teachers-union-approach is failing our kids. By moving away from outdated state tests and empowering local districts, we're reducing the burden on students, parents and teachers while ensuring high-quality education that is no longer driven by bureaucrats or outside groups."

The change comes on the heels of a repo

See Full Page