The Colorado Springs school board, District 11, voted to opt out of state and federal Common Core testing.
The vote was unanimous.
“Unprecedented action Wednesday night by Colorado Springs School District 11, as the Board of Education voted unanimously to try and opt out of standardized testing mandated by the State and the federal Common Core Curriculum.
“The District’s resolution regarding state mandated testing would mean students and teachers can focus more on education and life skills in the classroom and spend less time preparing for standardized tests. It’s designed to give the district flexibility in the classroom.
“I’m so excited that D-11 has taken a stand,” said Sarah Sampayo, who’s children attend Lewis-Palmer District 38 schools.
“Parents from across the state, including Denver, Pueblo and Monument, attended the board’s meeting to voice their support for D-11’s bold plan.
“I want my young kids to enjoy education and learning, I don’t want them staring at a test for hours day, after day, after day,” explained Denver mom, Kellie Conn.
“These parents hope that if D-11 can do it, the rest of the state will follow suit.
“Hopefully it will creep into Jefferson County, it will creep into Denver, it will creep into Littleton,” said Conn.
“D-11 Superintendent, Dr. Nicolas Gledich, explained that he isn’t against assessing students’ progress, but wants to do it in a more individualized way. That’s the goal of the district’s plan to modify standardized testing over a three year period.”
Dr. Gledich was previously named to the blog’s honor roll as a hero for proposing a three-year moratorium on standardized testing.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Always good to check multiple sources – the school board changed their position – http://m.gazette.com/colorado-springs-school-districts-attempts-to-end-standardized-testing-nixed-for-now/article/1539240.
I hope you correct the post.
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Thanks D-11 Mom
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Elementary Secondary Education Act prevails. The one thing that needs to be reformed stays in place like a hardened Soviet bureauracracy. Nothing changes and the education theater continues by the cogs who purport to lead the state and federal agencies..
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“A High Stakes Test Compromise”
Why don’t we “compromise” a la The Emporer’s New Clothes” and hire a great testing company called “Pierce the Sun”. It can have its employees travel the country with special “looms” and weave the most marvelous high stakes test for each and every grade level from head-start to 12th… heck they will even “weave a high stakes test” for babies in utero lest the “ed reformers” think they are leaving a few stones unturned. The top PR firms in the nation will promote the marvels of this new testing protocol. They will announce the results of polls to reveal how everyone loves it and is on board with it. They will sing its praises as putting our nation on the top of the testing heap world-wide. Then the entire nation of public school children can sit at their desks at a given time on a given date and take this ” high stakes test”! Maybe, so not an ounce of learning time is wasted, they can take the test at midnight. Pierce the Sun will design a state of the art test perfect for midnight testing of children. Proctors will shut the lights and tell students to put their heads down on their desks and close their eyes as this is THE ONLY WAY THE TEST BOOKLET WILL BE KNOWN TO THEM. “Pierce the Sun” employees will collect the tests and bring them to the “Pierce the Sun” Center and grade them. In this scenario, students will take this very comprehensive test from midnight to 6am. The longer this test is the more thorough it must be. If they come to the test with a pillow, a toothbrush, toothpaste, a comb and a change of clothing they can be ready to start school when the school day begins – no buses needed! Breakfast and lunch will be provided that day. And of course to add a heavy touch of cliché, this test must be administered on April 1st.
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Broken Clocks-
Here is an issue where the Tea Party “anti big government” groups are actually correct.
Regardless of the desires of local school AUTHORITIES, Obama/Duncan (ie Gates/Broad) make the CHOICES.
Broadie and Amplify peddler, (and former NJ Education Commissioner) Chris Cerf once stated the local control is the biggest impediment to improving schools.
BTW, did anyone ever notice that ALL BROADIES hold identical views on education?
More like a cult.
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Not surprised. Colorado Springs has lead the way in going backwards for decades. There is a reason their economy has never been strong under Republican “leadership”. If it weren’t for the military welfare to the area and little old ladies sending money to religious zealots to save their souls from Hell they would be tired for dead last with Punkin Center.
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