Good luck to the parent who wrote to say that she is opting her children out of the standardized testing. More such courage and the reign of error will collapse.
I’m a parent. I will inform the Pittsburgh Public School Board at a Public Hearing tonight of my intention to exercise my right to OPT my children OUT. I will let them know that I refuse to stand by and watch diminished funds spent on more standardized testing (Pittsburgh Public Schools has added standardized tests for students this year) while student creativity, innovation, excitement for school, and excitement for learning disappears.
I will tell them that my second grade son’s teacher stopped me in the hall last week to tell me how my son has positively contributed to classroom discussions because of his enthusiasm, imagination and creative thinking skills. Thank goodness for teachers like her that understand this account of my child’s progress is more important than the ‘B’ he received on the latest unit assessment.
I’ll ask the Board to work with parents, community members, and teachers to take a stand against poor educational policy (like high-stakes testing).
Wish me luck!
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Good Luck. The revolution must always start with one. Remember you have thousands of friends at United Opt Out National!
BRAVO. I suggest a real test like the IBST or the Stanford Achievement test.
Take those results to the administrators.
I’d suggest none of the one’s you suggest as all standardized tests have so many errors to render them invalid. Now an assessment/test that is individually given by by the teacher with the student in order to ascertain a student’s learning is another thing.
Good luck! Parents may be our best hope to stop deformer movement!
The very best of luck! You are the very best kind of mom a kid can have–one who truly cares. As a retired elementary art teacher (who has also taught second grade), I applaud you in keeping your son’s “enthusiasm, imagination and creative thinking skills” at the forefront of his education. You have my admiration!
“You don’t have to wait for a place at the table. You can take a place at the table or create your own table. I think of the Civil Rights movement. They didn’t wait for a place at the table. They created their own. The Arab Spring, their own table. The Occupy Movement, their own table.” — Arne Duncan, U. S. Secretary of Education
Comments made to a group of National Board Certified Teachers, on Dec. 9, 2011
>Hey, Arne Duncan, I think this parent is creating her own table for her second grade son, and will be inviting others to sit with them!!!
Opt out to save Public Education!
Last year, when my oldest daughter was in 3rd grade, I seriously considered opting her out of our state tests. She and I and her dad talked about that option (especially as our daughter has an anxiety disorder). I don’t think we pushed her into taking the tests. I truly believe (and hope I am right) that we let her know how very willing we were to exempt her if that was what she wanted.
The dilemma is that my daughter goes to the school where I teach. A Title I school that struggles with test scores. If she went to any other school I would have opted her out of the tests without any question.
Please “opt her out” as the more parents that do that the sooner this nonsense will cease.