PARCC Selects Open Source Platform for Non-Summative Assessments

The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) has selected TAO, an open assessment platform from Open Assessment Technologies (OAT), to deliver non-summative Common Core assessments.

"Open source was a key requirement of the PARCC non-summative assessment tools delivery system because it allows us to more easily integrate the platform with other partners and opportunities in the future, as well as leverage the collective open source community contributions to the platform development," said Jeff Cuff, director of technology at Parcc Inc., the nonprofit organization that manages the assessment system on behalf of the PARCC states, in a prepared statement. "Even more importantly, it is a highly economical approach for the states participating in the consortium, providing significant savings for maintenance compared to other options."

Breakthrough Technologies, a company that has previously collaborated with OAT, will join the project, which is designed to provide the PARCC states "the essential infrastructure and tools for computer-based assessment delivery, providing all the critical components such as teacher portal, student registration, test delivery and scoring, results analysis and r eporting," according to a news release.

Upon completion, the system will be used to evaluate the English language arts, literacy and math progress of 5 million students in 11 states and the District of Columbia.

"We are pleased that the PARCC consortium selected TAO for the technical infrastructure necessary to deliver a secure, reliable, flexible and scalable computer-based assessment solution," said Marc Oswald, co-founder and CEO of Open Assessment Technologies, in a prepared statement. "Our Open Source solution gives education officials full control over their assessment assets, and the agility to respond to changing requirements at a fraction of today's cost."

About the Author

Joshua Bolkan is contributing editor for Campus Technology, THE Journal and STEAM Universe. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • horizontal stack of U.S. dollar bills breaking in half

    ED Abruptly Cancels ESSER Funding Extensions

    The Department of Education has moved to close the door on COVID relief funding for schools, declaring that "extending deadlines for COVID-related grants, which are in fact taxpayer funds, years after the COVID pandemic ended is not consistent with the Department’s priorities and thus not a worthwhile exercise of its discretion."

  • illustration of a human head with a glowing neural network in the brain, connected to tech icons on a cool blue-gray background

    Meta Introduces Stand-Alone AI App

    Meta Platforms has launched a stand-alone artificial intelligence app built on its proprietary Llama 4 model, intensifying the competitive race in generative AI alongside OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, and xAI.

  • The AI Show

    Register for Free to Attend the World's Greatest Show for All Things AI in EDU

    The AI Show @ ASU+GSV, held April 5–7, 2025, at the San Diego Convention Center, is a free event designed to help educators, students, and parents navigate AI's role in education. Featuring hands-on workshops, AI-powered networking, live demos from 125+ EdTech exhibitors, and keynote speakers like Colin Kaepernick and Stevie Van Zandt, the event offers practical insights into AI-driven teaching, learning, and career opportunities. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to integrate AI into classrooms while exploring innovations that promote equity, accessibility, and student success.

  • robot waving

    Copilot Updates Aim to Personalize AI

    Microsoft has introduced a range of updates to its Copilot platform, marking a new phase in its effort to deliver what it calls a "true AI companion" that adapts to individual users' needs, preferences and routines.