At a parent orientation in August 2024, The Academy for G.O.D. founder Gregg Garner made the school’s stance on standardized testing clear.
“Even though they require us to do standardized testing, that doesn’t mean we have to care,” he said during a presentation to families. “I’m giving you the official position: We don’t care.”
“We so don’t care, we found the cheapest test that they allow,” he continued.
The test is produced by a private company in California. According to Garner, elementary students can complete the test in an hour, and high school students, in two. The school has been required by the state to offer standardized testing since it was accredited by Cognia, an independent, non-governmental organization, last year.
Garner said parents may be surprised when they see students’ test scores. “We’re not going to be training them to take it. We’re not going to be doing anything,” he said, then repeated emphatically, “because we don’t care.”