Oregon Education Chief Pans Legislature For Proposed End To Writing Test

The Oregonian (5/20, Melton) reports that Oregon Superintendent Susan Castillo is criticizing a move in the state legislature "to further reduce the Oregon Department of Education budget for 2011-13, taking issue with a proposal to cut the state writing test." In addition to budget cuts currently proposed by the governor, "some state lawmakers say they must identify more cuts, including scraping the state writing assessment, a move they say could save the state nearly $3 million. Writing is the only state assessment not required by the federal government." However, Castillo made dire predictions about the impact of cutting the test, including reduced graduation rates and complicated Common Core efforts.