Meetings on K-12 testing are set

The Governor's Blue Ribbon Panel outreach meetings to gather input on K-12 student testing recommendations begin this week. All meetings are 4 to 6 p.m.:

• Thursday — Granite School District, 2500 S. State, Salt Lake City;

• Wednesday, Aug. 13 — Provo School District, 280 W. 940 North, Provo;

• Thursday, Aug. 14 — Jordan High School, 95 E. Beetdigger Ave. (9880 South), Sandy;

• Monday, Aug. 18 — Weber School District, 5320 Adams Ave., Ogden;

• Tuesday, Aug. 19 — Carbon School District, 251 W. 400 North, Price;

• Thursday, Aug. 21 — Iron School District, 2077 W. Royal Hunte Drive, Cedar City.

The panel has been discussing streamlining testing, with particular attention to testing methods that could fulfill all Utah testing requirements for students.

Additional goals of the panel include assessing cost efficiency; immediate diagnostic results in reading, writing, math and science; and whether the testing leads students toward college and university study.

"I want to ensure that Utah testing methods provide enough information about how we can improve student achievement and instruction as a state," said Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. in a news release.