This just in from teachers in Everett, WA:
A RESOLUTION OF DISAPPROVAL OF THE SMARTER BALANCED ASSESSMENT
WHEREAS, the motto of Mariner High School is to “provide an excellent education to every student;” and
WHEREAS, the Smarter Balanced Assessment is not required for graduation; and
WHEREAS, this computer based assessment will take approximately eight hours for each 11th grader to complete and its confusing format is unlike anything students will experience outside the testing environment; and
WHEREAS, there are not enough computers to test the students in a reasonable amount of time and it is unacceptable for computers to be unavailable to non-testing students for such a long period of time; and
WHEREAS, the failure rate of the assessment is going to be extraordinarily high (possibly 60%) for the general population and even higher for students of color, ELL students, and students on individualized education plans; and
WHEREAS, student performance on this test will in no way be indicative of their learning and instead this test must be given to meet arbitrary, antiquated and poorly considered state/federal mandates; and
WHEREAS, graduation and standardized testing requirements in Washington State are in constant shift, confusing, and poorly communicated; and
WHEREAS, the sheer number of state mandated standardized tests is unacceptable; in addition to other assessments during the last seven weeks of school we must administer two weeks of AP testing, many weeks of 11th grade SBA testing, the 10th grade ELA exit exam, the Biology EOC exam, the Geometry EOC exam, and the Algebra 1 EOC exam; many of these exams are required for graduation or could possibly earn students college credit; moreover, during this time we are also required to teach our students and administer year end finals and projects; and
WHEREAS, the detrimental impact on the school schedule and more importantly student learning cannot be justified simply to meet a superfluous bureaucratic requirement; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, the members of the Mukilteo Education Association at Mariner High School object to the administration of the 11th grade Smarter Balanced Assessment for spring 2015 as an unacceptable obstruction to providing an excellent education to every student.
Passed Unanimously 3/6/2015
Diane Ravitch's blog 
If such explicit rejections spread around the nation, this could become the wave that sinks the testing and the CCSS, though the mainstream wings of both parties are digging in their heels and refusing to abandon annual testing. Much more pressure from below is needed.
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“Passed Unanimously 3/6/2015” !!!
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I’ve gotten reports from teacher friends – both in my district in the Seattle area and from others – that they are being told they absolutely cannot discuss opting out with parents. At all.
It is unclear if this is coming from district admins, building admins, or from the WA state OSPI.
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This is true. Told explicitly NOT to send info, opt out online link, or out out hard copy letter home in Hawaii.
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WHEREAS, there are not enough computers to test the students in a reasonable amount of time and it is unacceptable for computers to be unavailable to non-testing students for such a long period of time.
How can the testing field be level if some students have their own computers
& others have to share? Also, because 3-5 grades have only 33 laptops to share
some classrooms will test right after spring break in April & others will test right before
Memorial day in May (after 1 month of additional learning – or test prep). How is any of this fair?
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“How is any of this fair?”
FAIR?!?! We don’t need no stinkin fairness.
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Go Everett, WA teachers!
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I have been so thoroughly impressed by the teachers of Washington State since those of Garfield High in Seattle took their stand. Their collective courage in standing up to the abuses and ravages of corporate education reform and high-stakes standardized testing is truly heroic! Unfortunately, we teachers elsewhere are collectively cowards for not doing so. All I have heard when I have asked fellow teachers to take a stand is loud whining about their fears of administrative backlash. They fail to see that there is strength in numbers as evidenced in Washington State.
Teachers of America UNITE! We have nothing to lose and everything to gain! Actively Fight Back against corporate tyranny!
The alternatives don’t bear thinking about.
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More from Washington State:
By a vote of 48 to 1, Ingraham staff passed the following resolution:
A RESOLUTION OF DISAPPROVAL OF THE Ingraham High School
WHEREAS Ingraham High School strives to provide an excellent education
to every student;
WHEREAS the Smarter Balanced Assessment is not required for graduation;
WHEREAS this computer-based assessment will take approximately eight
hours for each 11th grader to complete and its confusing format is
unlike anything students will experience outside the testing
environment;
WHEREAS there are not enough computers to test the students in a
reasonable amount of time and it is unacceptable for computers to be
unavailable to non-testing students for such a long period of time;
WHEREAS the failure rate of the assessment is going to be
extraordinarily high (possibly 60%) for the general population and
even higher for students of color, ELL students, and students on
individualized education plans;
WHEREAS student performance on this test will in no way be indicative
of their learning and instead this test must be given to meet
arbitrary, antiquated and poorly considered state and federal
mandates;
WHEREAS graduation and standardized testing requirements in Washington
State are confusing and poorly communicated;
WHEREAS the sheer number of state-mandated standardized tests is unacceptable;
WHEREAS in addition to other assessments during the last seven weeks
of school, we must administer one month of International Baccalaureate
exams, several weeks of AP testing, many weeks of 11th grade SBA
testing, the 10th grade ELA exit exam, the Biology EOC exam, the
Geometry EOC exam, and the Algebra 1 EOC exam, many of which are
required for graduation or could possibly earn students college
credit;
WHEREAS during this time we are also required to teach our students
and administer year-end finals and projects; and
WHEREAS the detrimental impact on the school schedule and more
importantly student learning cannot be justified simply to meet a
superfluous bureaucratic requirement;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED the members of the Seattle Education
Association at Ingraham High School object to the administration of
the 11th grade Smarter Balanced Assessment for spring 2015 as an
unacceptable obstruction to providing an excellent education to every
student.
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