2010: Race to the Top Grant Applications Submitted

30 states submitted a Race to the Top grant application—awarded in September 2010—to create a system that would redefine assessments to feature the following characteristics: (1) conducted online and customizable for students, (2) composed of test questions that measure essential skills such as critical thinking, writing, and problem-solving, (3) provides the widest array of features ever assembled to ensure testing is fair for all students who take the test, and (4) supports teachers in professional development and provides in-class assessment tools.