Though schoolsy are still closed for the summer in many parts of the country, the weekly testing story count is already exploding. No doubt it’s going to be a most exciting and productive year for assessment reformers. Sta with us for weekly updates and be sure to check the news clip archives (http://www.fairtest.org/news/other) for articles you may have missed.
National
Five Years of Stagnant ACT “College Readiness” Scores Show Failure of Test-and-Punish K-12 Strategies
http://fairtest.org/Five-years-flat-ACT-Shows-testandpunish-fails
Focus on Standardized Tests Hurts Learning
http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2015/08/30/standardized-tests-opt-out-learning-your-say/71427338/
Most People Don’t Like Current Education Policies, So Why Do Public Officials?
http://educationopportunitynetwork.org/people-dont-like-current-education-policies-so-why-do-policy-leaders/
U.S. Bars States From Offering Alternative Tests for Most Students With Disabilities
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2015/08/27/u-s-education-department-bars-states-from-offering-alternative-tests-to-most-students-with-disabilities/
Multiple States Smarter Balanced Consortium Orders Review of AIR Testing Problems
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/DigitalEducation/2015/08/american_institute_for_researc.html
States
Arizona Don’t Blame Teachers for Poor Test Scores
http://www.tucsonlocalmedia.com/northwest_chatter/article_8e95e714-4b7b-11e5-b471-e725e920b4a2.html
California Governor Signs Law Suspending Graduation Exam Requirement
Governor signs bill exempting high school seniors from exit exam
California Legislators Consider Retroactive Diplomas for Students Who Failed Grad Test Over Past Decade
Lawmakers consider retroactive diplomas for students who failed exit exam
California Time to Abolish Senseless High School Exit Exam
http://www.marinij.com/opinion/20150831/marin-voice-time-to-abolish-senseless-high-school-exit-exams
Connecticut Education Commissioner Falsely Blames Teachers for Growing Smarter Balanced Exams Opposition
http://jonathanpelto.com/2015/08/25/malloys-education-commissioner-blames-teachers-for-lack-of-support-for-common-core-sbac-testing/
Florida Validity Study Concludes Computer Tests Should Not Be Used for Student-Level Consequences
http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/testing/florida-tests-shouldnt-be-used-for-student-level-consequences-report-says/2243631
Florida In Miami-Dade Schools Every Day is a School Testing Day
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/education/article32591382.html
Florida State Headed for Testing Turbulence
http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/florida/2015/08/8574987/florida-headed-testing-turbulence
Georgia Superintendent of the Year Says High Stakes Testing Is The “Fools Gold of Accountability”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2015/08/27/2015-superintendent-of-the-year-high-stakes-testing-is-the-fools-gold-of-accountability/
Indiana Too Much Riding on Standardized Tests
http://www.thestarpress.com/story/opinion/contributors/2015/08/28/much-riding-standardized-tests/71345136/
Maryland Teachers Group Launches TV, Radio Ad Campaign on Testing
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/aug/31/maryland-teachers-group-launches-ad-campaign-on-te/
Maryland “Less Testing, More Learning” Campaign
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-school-testing-20150831-story.html
Maryland State Comptroller Blasts Pearson Testing Contract
http://marylandreporter.com/2015/08/26/franchot-flips-out-over-standardized-testing-contract/
New Mexico You Can Do Something About Testing Overkill
http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-opinion/ci_28695808/rep-bill-mccamley-you-can-do-something-about
New York State Education Commissioner Says Parents Have a Right to Opt Kids Out of Tests
http://wamc.org/post/ed-comm-says-parents-have-right-opt-out-kids-tests#stream/0
New York Why So Many Families Opted Out of Standardized Exams
http://www.buffalonews.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/letter-there-are-many-reasons-why-students-opted-out-of-tests-20150826
New York Gropes for Alternatives to Sanctions to Slow Surging Opt-Out Movement
http://www.thedailynewsonline.com/news/article_b59e92f0-4bf0-11e5-a426-bb5a41f55d91.html
North Dakota State to Recover More Than $316,000 for Testing Glitches
http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/education/3827308-nd-recover-more-316000-testing-glitches
Oregon Opt Outs Hold Participation Rate Below 95% in 21 School Districts
http://www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/3461266-151/common-core-21-districts-miss-mark-for-test
Oregon Students Return to Changing Testing Environment
http://www.opb.org/news/article/oregon-schools-standardized-tests/
Oregon Kindergarten Testing is Bad for Kids
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/08/kindergarten_testing_is_bad_fo.html
Pennsylvania Don’t Let Muddled Test Strategy Determine Our Children’s Future
http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/20150826_Don_t_let_muddled_test_strategy_determine_future_of_students.html
Pennsylvania The Wrong Way to Get Teacher Evaluations Right
http://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2015/08/getting_teacher_evaluations_ri.html#incart_river
Rhode Island Graduation Test Requirements May Get Second Look
http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20150825/NEWS/150829615/13748/NEWS
Tennessee The Obvious in School Test Scores
http://www.chattanoogan.com/2015/8/26/306959/The-Obvious-In-School-Test-Scores.aspx
Texas Many Students Now Graduate Without Passing STAAR Exit Exams
http://www.wfaa.com/story/news/local/education/2015/08/28/many-texas-students-graduate-after-flunking-staar-tests/71285686/
Washington 48,000 Students Opted Out Across the State
Washington Testing Is One of Top Issues in Teacher Contract Negotiations
http://kuow.org/post/seattle-teachers-say-recess-testing-are-among-top-issues-contract
Canada Mega-Testing Creates Illusion of Badly Failing Schools
http://thechronicleherald.ca/opinion/1308459-mega-testing-merely-creates-illusion-public-education-is-failing
Bad News for Testing Advocates
Student Teachers Are New Casualty of High-Stakes Testing
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2015/08/30/a-new-casualty-of-high-stakes-testing-student-teachers/
Free Copies of “Defies Measurement” DVD Available on Request
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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
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