Here is the weekly update from FairTest, which monitors the use and abuse of standardized testing. The movement to curb the abuses is multiplying.
Bob Schaeffer of FairTest writes:
Another incredible week for the assessment reform movement — school boards adopting strong resolutions calling for a suspension of high-stakes testing, candidates speaking out against standardized overkill, new Congressional legislation to reduce federal mandates and many excellent commentaries at the same time parents, teachers and community organizers continue to speak out! Keep the heat on.
Remember that back issues of these weekly updates and other timely resources are archived at: http://fairtest.org/news
Another Test is Not Best Strategy to Help Arizona Students Learn Civics
http://www.yumasun.com/opinion/another-test-not-best-answer-for-learning-civics/article_5f212266-41d9-11e4-80e5-0017a43b2370.html
Future of California High School Exit Exam Undecided
Why My Kids Will Opt Out: Colorado’s State-Mandated Tests Do Not Support Learning
http://www.reporterherald.com/opinion/letters/ci_26560294/state-mandated-testing-does-not-serve-learning
Colorado Teacher Refuses to Administer Common Core Tests
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2014/09/colorado_teacher_refuses_to_gi.html
11 Large Florida School Boards Agree: “Suspend High-Stakes Testing”
http://www.news-press.com/story/news/education/2014/09/19/lee-school-board-members-travel-west-palm/15844939/
One of Nation’s Biggest School Districts Calls on State, Feds to End Testing Overkill
http://extracredit.blog.palmbeachpost.com/2014/09/18/read-pbc-school-boards-2-page-hate-testing-letter-to-fl-gov/
Broward County Florida Schools Could Be Required to Administer 1,500 New End-of-Course Tests
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/education/highered/fl-b-end-of-course-testing-20140917,0,4782939.story
Editorial: Too Much Testing in Florida
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20140917/OPINION01/140919699/-1/news300
Florida PTA Calls for Overhaul of State Testing System
http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/gradebook/florida-pta-calls-for-changes-to-states-school-accountability-system/2198088
Georgia Ed Superintendent Candidates Agree: Too Much Testing
http://onlineathens.com/breaking-news/2014-09-18/too-much-testing-state-school-superintendent-candidates-say
Iowa Letter to the Editor: Time to End NCLB
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/readers/2014/09/20/end-child-left-behind/15936169/
Feds Allow Kansas to Withhold Scores From Disrupted Exam Administrations
http://m.cjonline.com/news/2014-09-16/us-department-education-allows-kansas-withhold-test-data#gsc.tab=0
Worcester Massachusetts Teachers Call For Three-Year Moratorium on Common Core Tests
http://www.golocalworcester.com/news/worcester-teachers-union-decry-public-school-testing-decision
Santa Fe School Chief Seeks Delay in New Mexico Test-Based Teacher Evaluation
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/boyd-s-call-to-fix-evaluations-faces-its-own-challenges/article_a0c9abd7-701c-5950-8f34-4e763ed456cc.html
New York Assessment Reform Activists Say 250,000 Will Boycott 2014-2015 State Tests
http://www.nysape.org/nys-parents-fight-to-reclaim-student-education-from-excessive-testing-and-data-collection-250000-high-stakes-test-boycotts-planned-statewide.html
State Claims More Money Needed to Release Additional Test Questions
http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/schools/king-state-ed-would-like-to-release-more-test-questions-20140918
Local Ohio School Board Seeks Delay of Test-Based Teacher Evaluations
http://onlineathens.com/opinion/2014-09-16/frye-lawmakers-should-delay-implementation-states-new-teacher-evaluation-system
Oklahoma School Grades Don’t Reflect Student Progress
http://www.tulsaworld.com/homepage5/tulsa-area-educators-grading-of-schools-doesn-t-reflect-student/article_e4df5343-5a5a-55de-b783-cdbb3c230552.html
Rhode Island to Hold Hearings on Longer Exit Exam Delay
http://www.browndailyherald.com/2014/09/18/state-hold-hearings-whether-delay-exam-graduation-requirement/
Inconsistent Utah Test Standards Don’t Help Improve Education
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865611285/Inconsistency-in-school-test-standards-doesnt-do-anyone-any-good.html
Virginia Replaces Five Statewide Tests With Local Assessment Flexibility
http://www.yourgv.com/news/local_news/article_257d582e-3f7a-11e4-94c3-abdd4b3e4c54.html
Washington State Schools Are Not Failing, NCLB Is Failing Us — Petition Campaign
http://www.ourschoolsarenotfailing.org/
Congressional Proposal Would Put Brakes on Federal Testing Mandates
http://www.theislandnow.com/opinions/our-views-put-the-brakes-on-testing/article_4acca736-3f4f-11e4-8abb-cbc7e12a38d1.html
Most Americans Don’t Support Rating Teachers on Student Test Scores: New Survey
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local-education/most-dont-support-rating-teachers-on-student-score/nhPFJ/
Yong Zhao Dissects Marc Tucker’s “Plan to Fix Our National Accountability System”
http://www.livingindialogue.com/time-give-yong-zhao-responds-marc-tucker/
Linda Darling Hammond on Equity, Diversity and Deeper Learning
http://azednews.com/2014/09/16/linda-darling-hammond-on-equity-in-education/
A Message From a Teacher Thinking About Quitting About the Real Impacts of Testing Overkill
Many Nations Rethinking Emphasis on Standardized Testing
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/education_futures/2014/09/rethinking_the_emphasis_on_standardized_testing.html
Bob Schaeffer, Public Education Director
FairTest: National Center for Fair & Open Testing
office- (239) 395-6773 fax- (239) 395-6779
mobile- (239) 699-0468
web- http://www.fairtest.org
Diane Ravitch's blog 
It’s amazing that even the pro-“reform” Utah newspaper, the Deseret News, has started to see the light.
We could also use – no high stakes testing before the age of…8? Testing accuracy is at its lowest for younger children.
How about 13? Children should not be labeled or defined this soon. NO GOOD comes from this. NONE
Let me fix that for you Deb: “We could also use – no high stakes testing before the age of…108?”
and
“Testing accuracy is at its lowest for ALL children AND ALL STUDENTS.”
First The Resistance.
Now the Revolution.
Excellent! Let me grab my flag and sing “One Day More!”
The “Common Core Implementation Reform Act” has flown under the RADAR.
It will require parent advocates to be enforced. This will require informed parents.
Any wonder its been on the QT.
http://www.nysenate.gov/press-release/facts-common-core-implementation-reform-act
This act limits test prep activities to a maximum of 2% of instructional time. That means teachers in NYS can spend no more than 3 class days in direct, test-prep mode. This was enacted in reaction to the parent pushback against high stakes testing.
It is intended to assuage concerns, but creates a lot of gray area by not defining “test-prep”. Time will tell . . .