Drumroll, please… Assessment HQ, the go-to source for transparent state-level student assessment information, just refreshed its website—and it’s a glow-up worth celebrating.
At the heart of this update is a stronger spotlight on the “Honesty Gap.” For years, this important concept has been central to understanding the difference between what states report as “proficient” and what the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) says about student performance. In plain terms, the Honesty Gap reveals how state-level metrics can give parents, educators, and policymakers an overly rosy view of student learning. With our new site, you can now easily dive into your state’s honesty gap or scan the nation to see which states may be overstating proficiency.
Beyond the Honesty Gap, Assessment HQ’s refresh improves navigation, so users can quickly explore key data points like grade-level performance, participation rates, and longitudinal trends. Whether you’re a parent trying to make sense of your child’s report card, a teacher looking to benchmark performance against national standards, or a policymaker evaluating education programs, the site now offers a clearer, more intuitive experience.
The “Testing 1-2-3” blog also gets a new layout. My posts—which, by reading this, I’ll assume you’ve come to know and love—are now easier to browse by year and search by topic thanks to the wizardry of tagging. Plus, it just looks snazzy.
Seriously though, this refresh is more than a facelift. It reflects our ongoing commitment to honest, accessible, and actionable information about student learning. By integrating the Honesty Gap front and center, Assessment HQ helps ensure that parents and policymakers aren’t misled by inflated proficiency rates.
At a time when education decisions are shifting decisively back to the states and federal oversight is waning, that commitment matters more than ever. Without clear, comparable data, parents and policymakers alike risk being left in the dark. Assessment HQ fills that void—helping to keep the public conversation about student learning grounded in facts, not wishful thinking.
And with a cleaner, more intuitive interface, it’s easier than ever to find the information and insights you’re looking for!