The article advocates for a new national assessment under the rebuilt Institute of Education Sciences (IES) to evaluate students’ flourishing and participation during after-school hours from 3 p.m. to midnight. It proposes this ‘NAEP’ be anonymous and representative to provide insights into non-academic aspects of student life. The goal is to better understand and support broader student development beyond traditional school metrics.
Key Points
- Calls for a rebuilt IES to implement an anonymous, representative assessment of after-school student activities.
- Focuses on measuring flourishing and participation from 3 p.m. to midnight to capture holistic student experiences.
- Emphasizes the need for data on non-academic factors to inform educational policy and improvements.
Implications for Educational Freedom
This proposed national assessment could represent government overreach by extending federal monitoring into students’ after-school lives, potentially infringing on parental rights and educational freedom. However, if implemented, it might generate data highlighting the benefits of school choice and ESAs in promoting student flourishing outside traditional public schools.
Source: The Case for a National Assessment of Flourishing and Participation