A 2026 study covering 67 school districts across 38 US states found that pupils faced between 35 and 88 required assessments before high school, with a median of 57. Despite this extensive testing, researchers found no relationship between assessment numbers and either proficiency or progress in English and mathematics.
Standardised testing remains embedded in US public education. Schools must assess reading and maths annually in grades three to eight and at least once in high school. Scores influence school ratings and can determine whether states monitor or take over underperforming districts. The 2001 No Child Left Behind law expanded state testing and linked results to school performance. Although its 2015 replacement, the Every Student Succeeds Act, sought to reduce testing’s classroom role, assessments continue to shape teaching priorities. Between 2001 and 2007, many districts increased weekly teaching time, with average rises of 47% for English and 37% for maths; 44% of districts reduced time for other subjects or activities, including the arts.
The demands extend to teachers’ workloads and professional satisfaction. In a 2016 survey, 62% of public school teachers considered test preparation excessive, estimating that it occupied an average of 14 days within a 180-day school year. Research has identified dissatisfaction with standardised testing as a significant reason for leaving teaching. Separately, 2026 research found that teachers concerned about employment consequences linked to test results reported lower job satisfaction.
