The State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) has released new guidance to help policy makers and district leaders determine their ed-tech needs and readiness for implementing the Common Core State Standards and the online testing that will accompany these.

As schools implement the new standards, two multi-state consortia—the Partnership for the Assessment of College and Career Readiness (PARCC) and the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium—are developing next-generation assessment systems aligned with the Common Core. Schools in participating states can expect to administer these new tests beginning in the 2014-15 school year. One important feature shared by both the PARCC and Smarter Balanced assessment systems is that the tests will be technology-delivered.

At least 33 states currently administer one or more state tests online; however, for many schools and districts, the shift to computer-based assessment will be new.

“Policy makers and education leaders must undertake a proactive, systems [-based] approach to addressing school technology needs for the long term,” said Douglas Levin, SETDA’s executive director. “To meet present and future technology needs, any realistic approach must consider curricular, instructional, assessment, professional development, and school operations goals.”

To download the new guidance as a PDF, click here. The file is also available on the “Assessment Readiness” page of SETDA’s website, which contains additional information about the new online tests.