School leaders in Illinois are disappointed they will be required to give their students yearly standardized tests but one McLean County School leader believes standardized tests need to be done away with altogether. 

Given lost classroom time last spring and shortened school days this year in the name of COVID, school leaders are upset they are being required to administer the tests again this year. Superintendent of Heyworth Schools Dr. Lisa Taylor on the WHOW Morning Show Thursday called the testing "ridiculous" and says the options to test students in the spring or fall were both horrible.

Standardized testing in Illinois is flawed from the perspective of many school leaders and Dr. Taylor points out one of the many challenges is receiving the data in a timely fashion. She believes it is becoming apparent standardized testing is not about what is best for kids, which is contrary to what educators are taught.

Local testing of students showed more progress in the classroom this year than originally anticipated. Dr. Taylor anticipated more of a summer slide but they did not see as severe of a slide.

Dr. Taylor is encouraged conversations about reforming standardized testing are starting to take place and believes reforms could happen starting at the federal level and would trickle down from there.