ESSA retains testing requirements but what flexibility does it grant?

• A. Federal government controls all testing
• B. No testing requirements at all
• C. States determine how, what, and when to test
• D. Districts must implement identical tests

Answer: (C)

ESSA keeps the requirement for annual testing but shifts the details to the states. The essential idea is that while students must be tested each year in key subjects, states decide which assessments to use, how the tests are designed and administered, and when the testing occurs within the year. This lets states align assessments with their own standards and accountability plans while still meeting federal minimums. The other options don’t fit because they imply the federal government controls every detail, or that testing isn’t required, or that all districts must use the same tests.