In January I asked, "Are We Testing Students Too Much?" and in March I blogged about "The Testing Debate." Comments from readers suggest that yes, we are testing students too much, but it's the best system we have to evaluate student learning. There has to be a better way of assessing our students, and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has a plan.

Education Week reports that Duncan has earmarked $350 million of the "Race to the Top" fund to help states develop common academic assessments. It's expensive to develop tests of this nature--too expensive for most states to do on their own--which is why Duncan wants the federal government to pay for a test all states can use.

The timing is good and supports the effort led by the National Governor's Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers to develop common national standards to be shared amongst all states.

I think people will always debate the subject of testing--types, frequency, and interpretation. But since we're likely to continue testing in some form or fashion, the tests should be of the highest possible quality and the most effective at accurately assessing student performance. Besides, a single test will prevent some states from creating less rigorous tests in order to demonstrate progress over time, and it would also allow us to have a more accurate picture of state-to-state comparisons.