This was a big week for news about standardized testing and test scores.

Two major stories dominated the week’s news. President Obama’s belated recognition of standardized exam overkill and another federal government report documenting academic stagnation during the “test-and-punish” era provided more ammunition for the country’s rapidly growing assessment reform movement. In many states parents, educators, local officials and community leaders are gearing up for major campaigns to significantly reduce testing volume, eliminate high-stakes, and open the door to better ways to assess student learning.

Please join FairTest in honoring two assessment reform leaders — Nancy Carlsson-Paige and Lani Guinier — by supporting next week’s “Heroes in Education” award reception:
http://fairtest.org/FairTest-to-honor-LaniGuinier-and-NancyCarlssonPaige
Your contribution will help build an even stronger testing resistance and reform movement.

National NAEP Results Add to Evidence of Test-and-Punish Failure
http://fairtest.org/fairtest-reaction-latest-naep-results-add-evidence
National Can the Obama Administration Really Pare Back Standardized Testing:
http://www.slate.com/blogs/schooled/2015/10/30/obama_wants_fewer_standardized_tests_how_serious_is_he.html
National Ed Groups to Congress: Finish “No Child Left Behind Overhaul”
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2015/11/big_education_groups_to_congress_finish_ESEA.html

California State Is Ahead of the Curve in Cutting Back Standardized Testing
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/nov/01/study-overtesting-schools-education/
California 8,000 Los Angeles Students Who Failed Repealed Exit Exam Now Eligible for Diplomas
http://edsource.org/2015/8000-la-unified-students-who-failed-high-school-exit-exam-eligible-for-diploma/89810

Connecticut Teachers Push Back on Test Scores
http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/teachers_push_back_on_test_scores/
Connecticut Why Administer the SAT to All High School Juniors
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Wendy-Lecker-Why-use-the-SAT-6601625.php

District of Columbia Achievement Gap Remains Despite Test Score Rise and Fall
http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/28629/test-scores-may-rise-or-fall-but-the-achievement-gap-persists/

Florida Half of Poll Respondents Support Opt Outs
http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/gradebook/poll-nearly-half-of-floridians-support-testing-opt-out/2252262
Florida Testing Advocates Lack Accountability
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20151028/OPINION01/151029749/1076/opinion
Florida Education System Standardized and Broken
http://www.tallahassee.com/story/opinion/2015/10/29/public-education-system-standardized-broken/74822738/

Georgia Movie Planned on Atlanta Test Cheating Scandal
http://www.empireonline.com/people/michael-b-jordan/michael-b-jordan-creed-ryan-coogler-plan-new-film/

Hawaii State Is Ahead of the Curve in Trimming Some Tests
http://thegardenisland.com/news/local/ahead-of-the-curve/article_6dea46e4-74f2-59c0-8301-3ec5d62c556b.html

Indiana Politicized State Board Raises Cut Score, Failing More Students
http://www.indianapolisrecorder.com/education/article_d2673c5e-7f33-11e5-9a79-cf92ab01f3fe.html

Louisiana State to Look for Ways to Reduce Testing
http://www.theadvertiser.com/story/news/local/education/2015/11/02/la-look-ways-reduce-testing/75037934/

Maryland State Panel Tries to Address Testing Overkill
http://www.capitalgazette.com/opinion/our_say/ph-ac-ce-our-say-1101-20151101-story.html

Massachusetts Lawmakers Push for Moratorium on Standardized Exams
http://www.topix.com/education/standardized-testing/2015/10/lawmakers-push-for-moratorium-on-standardized-tests

Mississippi State Testing Policies Keep Churning Public Schools
http://www.dailyjournal.net/view/story/271b717e386d4b58b5d831fe606646d3/MS–Mississippi-Elections-Education

Montana Student: Education is Learning, Not Testing
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/life/2015/10/30/education-comes-down-learning-not-testing/74873932/

New Hampshire Exam-Driven “Reforms” Fail the Test
http://www.vnews.com/news/newsletter/19208686-95/editorial-testing-the-limits

New Jersey State DOE Tries to Hide Truth of PARCC Testing From Public
http://www.educationviews.org/nj-doe-hide-truth-failure-parcc-public/
New Jersey An Inconvenient Truth of President Obama’s Testing Plan
http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/15/10/28/opinion-an-inconvenient-truth-about-president-obama-s-testing-plan/

New Mexico Welcome Reprieve From Testing
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/opinion/editorials/our-view-welcome-reprieve-from-testing/article_97d0f066-be92-5cc6-9e88-f095a941d2e8.html
New Mexico Provide Complete Item Analysis for High-Stakes Exams
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/education/the_dais/my-view-open-letter-to-gov-martinez-and-hanna-skandera/article_1c11b054-ee14-52fe-92dd-c465f3c0a0bc.html

New York Schools That Skip Standardized Tests Have Higher Graduation Rates
http://hechingerreport.org/nyc-schools-that-skip-standardized-tests-have-higher-graduation-rates/
New York Parents and Teachers Pressure State Review Panel About Common Core Standards and Tests
http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/albany/2015/10/8581288/parents-teachers-common-core-task-force-meeting-bring-heat
New York Testing Obsession is Finally Under Review
http://www.lohud.com/story/opinion/editorials/2015/10/30/editorial-finally-testing-obsession-under-review/74813094/

Ohio Superintendents Want Less High-States Testing
http://www.theintelligencer.net/page/content.detail/id/645875/Educators–Obama-Agree-on-Testin—.html

Oregon Students Need to Learn, Not Just Test
http://www.thedalleschronicle.com/news/2015/oct/31/editorial-students-need-learn-not-test/

Pennsylvania Time to End Toxic Testing Culture
http://www.centredaily.com/2015/11/03/4997024/their-view-time-to-end-toxic-testing.html

South Dakota Superintendent Agrees: Too Much Time Spent on Testing
http://www.argusleader.com/story/blogs/patrickanderson/2015/11/02/maher-we-spending-too-much-time-testing/75055062/

Tennessee Legislator Barred From Taking State Practice Test
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/politiknox/tennessee-lawmakers-barred-from-taking-elementary-school-test_39305775
Tennessee Are Some Schools “Faking the Grade” By Excluding Some Students From Testing?
http://www.newschannel5.com/news/newschannel-5-investigates/school-testing-are-some-metro-high-schools-faking-the-grade

Virginia Halloween Candy Hand-Out Explains Opt Out Rights

Washington Rolling Back Testing Mania
https://dianeravitch.net/2015/10/29/jesse-hagopian-on-the-obama-administrations-change-of-view-on-testing/

Wyoming Lawmakers Mull Testing Reduction Recommendations
http://wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/lawmakers-mull-testing-recommendations

ACT/SAT Test-Optional Surge
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/01/education/edlife/the-test-optional-surge.html?_r=0
ACT/SAT Salem State, UMass Lowell Join Trend Away From Admissions Tests
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/11/03/umass-lowell-salem-state-drop-sat-act-requirement/7FCbTpjGAHvzq2uOmAN2BP/story.html

What Sort of Assessment Does Enhance Learning?
http://www.livingindialogue.com/what-sort-of-assessment-does-enhance-learning/

Why International Test Score Comparisons Are a Weak Guide to Education Reform
http://www.epi.org/publication/bringing-it-back-home-why-state-comparisons-are-more-useful-than-international-comparisons-for-improving-u-s-education-policy/

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