In a joint letter with the Chicago Teachers Union, the Illinois Education Association (IEA), the Illinois Principles Association, and the Illinois Association of School Administrators, the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) is calling on the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to postpone standardized testing via a U.S. Department of Education Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) waiver for the 2020-2021 school, year. COVID rates continue to surge around the state, even before factoring in holiday travel and gatherings. It is likely that hospitals will continue to be at or near capacity, and the number of deaths will continue to be high. Increasingly large numbers of students and their families will be impacted. In this environment, rife with trauma and uncertainty, students’ academic performances are a reflection of their social, emotional, and economic context, and are likely much different than they would be in a more stable and predictable educational environment. Despite the committed efforts of educators to provide the most robust, appropriate, and safe educational experience for our students, the pandemic’s disruptive force has meant that students have had inconsistent and uneven experiences within schools, across districts, and among regions.