The weekly report on testing from Bob Schaeffer of Fairtest:

FairTest provides these weekly summaries of news clips and other resources as a tool to build the national assessment reform movement. We encourage parents, educators, students, administrators, community organizers, researchers and other allies to draw on the positive initiatives described in these links as models for their own local campaigns.

If you have similar materials to share, please send them to us for possible inclusion in future editions.

Some States Rush to Tie Common Core Tests to Graduation
http://news.heartland.org/newspaper-article/2014/12/04/three-states-rush-tie-common-core-testing-graduation

California Rethinks How to Report Test Scores

State rethinks how to report test scores

Colorado Legislators Express Bipartisan Skepticism About Testing at Pre-Session Hearing
http://co.chalkbeat.org/2014/12/03/testing-standards-skepticism-surface-at-pre-session-legislative-hearing/#.VICAsHvvcZx

Connecticut Working to De-emphasize Testing in School Accountability
http://www.courant.com/education/hc-school-accountability-1204-20141207-story.html?dssReturn&z=33957

Florida School Boards Association Takes a Stand Against Over Testing
http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/florida-school-boards-take-a-stand-against-over-testing/2208695
Text of Florida School Boards Resolution

Click to access FSBA_resolution.pdf

Opposition Grows to Illinois’ Use of PARCC Common Core Test
http://peoriapublicradio.org/post/illinois-set-test-common-core-standards

Louisiana Political Struggle Over PARRC Testing Continues
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mercedes-schneider/parcc-is-down-to-dc-plus-_b_6286010.html

How Massachusetts Teachers Defeated a Test-Based Evaluation Plan
https://www.jacobinmag.com/2014/11/no-more-backroom-deals/

New Jersey Parents, Teachers Talk About Opting Out of PARCC Test
http://unionnewsdaily.com/news/county/15753
Mom Dares New Jersey Gov. Christie to Defend Common Core Exam After Taking It
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/12/08/mom-to-common-core-task-force-take-the-4th-grade-parcc-practice-test-i-dare-you-to-tell-me-it-makes-sense/

Judging New York’s Education Chancellor By Her Own “Standards”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/12/08/if-teachers-are-judged-by-student-test-scores-how-about-the-state-chancellor/

Ohio’s Harmful Obsession with School Testing
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/editorials/2014/12/05/1-obsession-with-testing-can-be-harmful.html

PTA in Oklahoma Calls for End to High-Stakes Testing
http://www.news9.com/story/27530693/oklahoma-pta-calls-for-end-to-high-stakes-testing

Oklahoma PTA Resolutions on Testing
http://www.okpta.org/advocacy/2014-convention-resolutions/

Dallas, Texas, School Board Responds to Parents Call for Less Focus on Testing
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/headlines/20141203-3-dallas-isd-trustees-call-for-reducing-focus-on-testing.ece

What Might a Republican Rewrite of “No Child Left Behind” Look Like?
http://blogs.edweek.org/campaign-k-12/2014/12/what_might_a_republican_no_chi.html

Duncan’s Hammer: Test Scores
http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/road-trips-in-education/2014/12/duncans_hammer_test_scores.html

National Secondary School Principals Group Criticizes Value-Added Measurement
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/teacherbeat/2014/12/principals_group_latest_to_critize_value_added.html

First Step to Close Test Score Gap: Reduce Poverty and Segregation
http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/editorials/2014/12/06/first-step-should-reducing-poverty-segregation/KGXehFsSBLyXB2ri9wUdbL/story.html

To Fix School Problems: Listen to Experienced Education Experts
http://lancasteronline.com/opinion/columnists/to-fix-problems-in-schools-listen-to-the-educational-experts/article_7caf17ca-7a6e-11e4-a57f-a7f0c85121a8.html

Standardized Testing a False Solution to Attacking Educational Racism
http://www.alternet.org/books/people-who-have-experienced-racism-schools-standardized-tests-can-seem-solution-its-not

Beware of Another Standardized Test: This One on Civics
http://contextflorida.com/martin-dcykman-watch-yet-another-standardized-test-one-civics/

Corruption and Cheating Increase with Imposition of School “Accountability” Schemes Says Finnish Expert
https://news.tes.co.uk/b/news/2014/12/04/corruption-and-cheating-increases-with-accountability-says-finnish-expert.aspx

The Test: Why Our Schools Are Obsessed with Standardized Testing — forthcoming book available for pre-order now

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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