diff --git a/news/folder.rst b/news/folder.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..63f8328
--- /dev/null
+++ b/news/folder.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+**Added:**
+
+* <news item>
+
+**Changed:**
+
+* <news item>
+
+**Deprecated:**
+
+* <news item>
+
+**Removed:**
+
+* <news item>
+
+**Fixed:**
+
+* tests folder at the root of the repo
+
+**Security:**
+
+* <news item>
diff --git a/src/diffpy/snmf/tests/__init__.py b/src/diffpy/snmf/tests/__init__.py
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29..0000000
diff --git a/src/diffpy/snmf/tests/debug.py b/src/diffpy/snmf/tests/debug.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 2b585b2..0000000
--- a/src/diffpy/snmf/tests/debug.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,35 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-##############################################################################
-#
-# (c) 2024 The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York.
-# All rights reserved.
-#
-# File coded by: Billinge Group members and community contributors.
-#
-# See GitHub contributions for a more detailed list of contributors.
-# https://github.com/diffpy/diffpy.snmf/graphs/contributors
-#
-# See LICENSE.rst for license information.
-#
-##############################################################################
-
-"""
-Convenience module for debugging the unit tests using
-
-python -m diffpy.snmf.tests.debug
-
-Exceptions raised by failed tests or other errors are not caught.
-"""
-
-
-if __name__ == "__main__":
-    import sys
-
-    from diffpy.snmf.tests import testsuite
-
-    pattern = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else ""
-    suite = testsuite(pattern)
-    suite.debug()
-
-
-# End of file
diff --git a/src/diffpy/snmf/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
similarity index 100%
rename from src/diffpy/snmf/tests/conftest.py
rename to tests/conftest.py
diff --git a/src/diffpy/snmf/tests/test_containers.py b/tests/test_containers.py
similarity index 100%
rename from src/diffpy/snmf/tests/test_containers.py
rename to tests/test_containers.py
diff --git a/src/diffpy/snmf/tests/test_factorizers.py b/tests/test_factorizers.py
similarity index 100%
rename from src/diffpy/snmf/tests/test_factorizers.py
rename to tests/test_factorizers.py
diff --git a/src/diffpy/snmf/tests/test_optimizers.py b/tests/test_optimizers.py
similarity index 100%
rename from src/diffpy/snmf/tests/test_optimizers.py
rename to tests/test_optimizers.py
diff --git a/src/diffpy/snmf/tests/test_polynomials.py b/tests/test_polynomials.py
similarity index 100%
rename from src/diffpy/snmf/tests/test_polynomials.py
rename to tests/test_polynomials.py
diff --git a/src/diffpy/snmf/tests/test_subroutines.py b/tests/test_subroutines.py
similarity index 100%
rename from src/diffpy/snmf/tests/test_subroutines.py
rename to tests/test_subroutines.py