National Testing Coordinator’s Day

NATP has been working on an “official” declaration of “National Testing Coordinator’s Day” for two years. As it turns out, an “official” declaration is a pretty costly endeavor, so we have been unable to secure it. But then, a dedicated NATP member asked me “why can’t we still celebrate it”? I paused and asked myself, why not? I mean, we have to start somewhere.

After all, the day is for us, so let US celebrate it together and with our hard-working peers nationwide!! Let the message carry… On the first Monday of May NATP will celebrate “National Testing Coordinator’s Day”! The specific day was selected by NATP members and we went with it!

Share the story below and celebrate with us on Monday, May 1st, 2023 for the

first “National Testing Coordinator’s Day” in history!!

About Our Day

Becoming a testing coordinator is few people’s “dream”. In fact, most professionals who are in charge of testing were either appointed or inherited the job. Either way, testing coordinators accept their charge and prepare themselves for the important, secure, and often high stakes work. The topic of testing and accountability often gets wrapped up in politics, which adds to the pressure and disdain for testing and those who support it. Despite those challenges or the final decisions, each year, state education agencies issue testing mandates for all schools and districts to implement. On the front line there are dedicated testing coordinators prepared to receive those orders and coordinate related efforts to ensure compliance. Makes sense, so what’s the problem? The problem is that testing programs are multi-faceted and insanely time-consuming. There is a lot to learn, keep up with, and prepare for, if you want to avoid trouble. Testing coordinators must keep up with the many rules and mandates, maintain confidentiality, test integrity, and test security; schedule and train everyone who will be involved in the process; create a campus plan for test days; make sure all the materials are ordered and distribute it; ensure that students with special needs or accommodations receive the appropriate supports; assign test administrators, monitors, relief monitors, hire additional staff for the day for all the special groupings; and most importantly they ensure that students feel comfortable and prepared to do their absolute best without added pressure. After testing, they have the thankless responsibility of addressing, investigating, and resolving testing violations, which occur despite their best training efforts; AND odds are they do all this on top of their “regular” full time job and often alone. Now, THAT IS a problem! Testing coordinators are amongst the hardest working individuals in education, yet they get no recognition for it. Well, no more! On the first Monday of every May, in the midst of the largest and most important test cycle of the year, we will stop, recognize, and appreciate the tireless efforts of testing coordinators across the country by celebrating “National Testing Coordinator’s Day”.