Parents, educators, students and activists in many communities are using the “quiet” summer months to plan campaigns that will build the assessment reform movement’s power once schools reopen. Across the country, more and more media outlets are reporting on the impact grassroots organizing already has made on policy-makers.
Remember that archived issues of these weekly updates are online at http://fairtest.org/news — a quick review of the clips demonstrates how much progress Testing Resistance & Reform Spring made this year.
How California Can Drive Reform With Better Instruction Not More Testing
blogs.edweek.org/edweek/on_california/2014/07/how_to_drive_reform_with_instruction_rather_than_testing.html
Connecticut Professor: We’re Teaching to the Test, Not for Students’ Futures
http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/op_ed/hc-op-barreca-were-teaching-to-test-notstudents-fu-20140722,0,7046183.column
Florida Schools Need “Recess” From Test-Driven Evaluation
http://www.newsherald.com/opinions/editorials/our-view-they-can-t-live-on-tests-alone-1.346996
FairTest Challenges New Florida Test-Based Scholarship Program as Race, Gender Biased
http://news.wfsu.org/post/group-plans-federal-challenge-new-florida-scholarship-program
Louisiana Schools Stare Into Common Core Testing Abyss
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/state_edwatch/2014/07/common-core_fight_in_louisiana_.html
A “Test” for New Jersey Governor’s Standardized Exam Study Commission
http://www.northjersey.com/opinion/opinion-a-test-for-the-governor-s-study-commission-1.1053970
New Mexicans Test Legislators About Flawed Teacher Evaluation System
http://www.daily-times.com/four_corners-news/ci_26155309/educators-share-evaluation-system-frustrations-state-legislators
New York Teachers Continue “No Confidence” Vote in State Education Commissioner
http://wamc.org/post/nysut-not-ready-reverse-no-confidence-vote
North Carolina Grade Retention Test Policy Revisions Confuse Parents and Children
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/07/18/5050767/read-or-flunk-changing-nc-law.html#.U8lDVGOTHZc
Ohio State Auditor to Investigate Charter School Cheating
http://wdtn.com/2014/07/17/state-auditor-to-investigate-horizon-academy-accusations/
Oklahoma PTA Plans to Challenge High-Stakes Testing
http://www.newson6.com/story/26057102/oklahoma-state-pta-poised-to-take-school-testing-to-task
Repeal of South Carolina Graduation Test Creates Opportunities for Young People
http://www.thestate.com/2014/07/19/3573446/abolition-in-sc-of-high-school.html?sp=/99/132/
What Can Utah Learn from Finland?
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/58166744-78/finland-teachers-students-utah.html.csp
Virginia Educators Appointed to Committee Reviewing State Assessments
Feds Require Washington State to Mislead Parents With Notice That All Schools Are “Failing”
http://blogs.seattletimes.com/today/2014/07/no-relief-for-washington-schools-under-no-child-left-behind-law/
Wisconsin Schools Concerned About Impacts of Common Core Linked Tests
http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/next-phase-of-common-core-worries-revolve-around-test-b99309190z1-267243161.html
AFT Convention Adopts Resolution Blasting edTPA Teacher Licensing Test
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/teacherbeat/2014/07/aft_passes_resolution_knocking.html
Jeb Bush’s Reading Test Grade Promotion Strategy Loses Ground Nationally
http://www.politico.com/story/2014/07/jeb-bush-florida-education-reading-rule-108958.html
Half of All Kindergarteners Start Off Far Behind Due to Poverty
http://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2014/07/nearly_half_of_kindergarteners.html
Movie Review: Stop Standardizing Students for Profit
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/opinion/my_view/reader-view-stop-standardizing-students-for-profit/article_d96717bf-878f-5738-9bd7-fb228a0dbc48.html
British Headmaster’s Letter to Students Puts Exam Scores in Context
http://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/jul/15/headteacher-note-pupils-viral-lancashire-primary-school-barrowford-nelson
Bob Schaeffer, Public Education Director
FairTest: National Center for Fair & Open Testing
office- (239) 395-6773 fax- (239) 395-6779
mobile- (239) 696-0468
web- http://www.fairtest.org
Diane Ravitch's blog 
I’ve noticed that the parents’ revolt against testing has come to a location near me. Last month, parents from my old district came to listen to a spiel on testing. When asked for questions, one parent asked, “How do we get out of it?”
“Testing Has Become Toxic.” A talk given by Andy Goldstein to the School Board of Palm Beach County, FL. July 23, 2014. Inspired by the business item we adopted against “Toxic Testing” at the recent NEA Representative Assembly
Reblogged this on Exceptional Delaware and commented:
Why couldn’t Delaware be on this list? C’mon Delaware teachers! If you don’t speak up, no one will hear you. We need your voice!
Jlf–I just love your handle, & it brings tears to my eyes. It sounds like you are going to have to be a leader of this movement, if no one else in your school, town, district will. Parents can band together but, for the most part (I fear) teachers will have to follow, as teachers all over the country who have committed (or have even NOT committed) any little act looked upon as resisting or questioning the establishment have been fired–& not always in those terms, but in euphemisms. I have been asking this question (on this blog & elsewhere) about what happened to the teachers at 2 Chicago Public Schools–the entire teaching faculties, I believe–who REFUSED to administer the state tests. I have yet to receive an answer, but I know that approx. 1,500 CPS educators have been “laid off.” I would wager to guess that many of these include at least some of the refuseniks at the 2 schools (in the past, a number of teachers have been included in the “lay off” rounds who were outspoken & dedicated educators). So, jlf, that’s what’s going on. Again if–as in Seattle–the PARENTS create an uproar, pledging to support no testing & opt their kids out–& I mean ALL the parents (I think it was 98% of a high school in Seattle, thus leaving the administrators with no valid data–from 2%–?!)
Please, jlf, just get the parents together, & get help from Parents Across America (perhaps there’s a local chapter in Delaware?), Network for Public Education, BATS, United Opt Out, local retired teachers & their associations, & community activists & public school supporters. You CAN do it, & you WILL–especially because you are Jon’s loving father, who wants only the best for his son–& for other people’s children. Don’t be discouraged–look at what’s just happened in Georgia, happened in Newark, happened in NYC–all
progressives winning against BIG, BIG $$$–people who can help preserve public education. It can happen in Delaware, & it WILL happen EVERYWHERE in the U.S. Yes, WE can…& we WILL!!!
The writing by the Connecticut professor is as well stated as about anything I have read so far. Succinct, Beautiful.
When is Illinois going to jump on this bandwagon and start protesting testing? We were so quick to jump on the testing, CCSS, Charlotte Danielson bandwagon why don’t we just off just as quickly? BTW I was told today by a Charlotte Danielson coach to stop calling it that is it not popular and people will hate you for it…so the spin begins. I, for the life of me, can’t remember what she told us to call it but she also gave us other names for CCSS and PARRC testing to use when talking about it in public (in other words, to fool the parents). So very sad that I even have to be a part of this but if you can’t fight the beast, poison it from within is what I always say.
cary444–it’s HAPPENING–just listen & watch! (Are you in Cary, BTW?) As I just replied to Jon’s loving father, contact people outside of school to help–retired teachers are a good source–find your local IEA-Retired group (or IFT-Retired). Contact the ILL Retired Teachers Assn. (IRTA). In Rockford, there’s a TREMENDOUS group that was instrumental in getting rid of their destructive Broadie superintendent–WEE (Watchdogs for Ethics in Education). There’s a group called PURE (Parents United for Responsible Education). And–you are quite right w/your “poison it from w/in” remark–not easy, but it CAN be done!!!
Thanks so much. I also forgot to add the Danielson rep told us she now also works with the Consortium for Educational Change which is partnered with TURN. The more I research both groups the more it seems we are feeding the beast sent to destroy us. I just wanted to teach (second career teacher) but now it’s even worse than the rat race I left in the corporate world )-:
And a more timeless reading that every educator should read:
Noel Wilson in “Educational Standards and the Problem of Error” found at:
http://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/article/view/577/700
Or on the invalidity of testing in the testing bibles own words:
Wilson’s: “A Little Less than Valid: An Essay Review” found at:
Click to access v10n5.pdf
Response to cary444, 7/25 @ 9:50 AM–you are most welcome! Good luck!
I ask this in all seriousness. I could have retired several years ago, but didn’t want to. This year will be my last year. I am teaching third grade in Ohio with the OAA and the Terra Nova and new this year – PARCC, and the Third Grade Guarantee. What can I do to make a difference with all this testing? I have already risked sharing with some parents how parents in other states are opting out. I have also given them names of good blogs like Diane’s, Peter Green’s and Mercedes Schneider’s. I have told them they are advocates for their children, NOT for me or for our school district. I just don’t know how far I can go. My calling in retirement is going to organize retired teachers to unite, stand up, and speak out. We can’t be fired. So, how far can I go as a teacher THIS school year?