Bob Schaeffer of FairTest reports the latest testing news from across the nation:

 

 

 

Two big stories as testing season gets underway in many states — the surging opt-out movement and the collapse of many states’ computerized exam delivery systems — both demonstrating the ongoing failure of politically driven test-and-punish policies.

 

National Why All Families Should Opt Out of High-Stakes Standardized Tests
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/04/03/diane-ravitch-why-all-parents-should-opt-their-kids-out-of-high-stakes-standardized-tests/
National Testing Time at Schools, Is There a Better Way
http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/04/health/school-testing-alternatives-measure-progress/index.html
National Opt-Out Movement Aims to Reach More African American and Latino Families
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/04/opt-out-movement-aims-to-lure-more-african-american-latino-parents-221540#ixzz44smB
National Three Cheers for the Opt-Out Movement
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-thompson/three-cheers-for-the-opt_b_9606536.html

 

Multiple States Some Standardized Testing On Hold In More Than a Dozen States
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/standardized-testing-hold-dozen-states-38090436
Multiple States Updated FairTest Chronology of Computerized Testing Problems
http://www.fairtest.org/computerized-testing-problems-chronology
Multiple States Number of Jurisdictions With High School Graduation Tests Drops Significantly, Now Just 15
http://www.fairtest.org/graduation-test-update-states-recently-eliminated

Alaska State Cancels Annual Test After Computerized Exam Failure

State schools chief cancels test after connection problems

California High School Diplomas at Last for Those Who Failed Exit Exam

High school diplomas at last for students who failed exit exam

Colorado Local Groups Educates Parents and Students About Opt-Out Rights
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/local-group-on-a-mission-to-educate-parents-and-students-on-their-right-to-opt-out

Connecticut Campaign to Rollback Test Use for Teacher Evaluation
http://news.wfsu.org/post/testing-season-has-opt-out-proponents-hoping-more-will-join

District of Columbia How Test Data Obsessed School Policies Drive Inequality
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/03/31/d-c-parent-how-data-obsessed-school-reform-helps-drive-rising-inequality-in-nations-capital/

Florida Computer-Based Testing Frenzy Begins
http://www.tallahassee.com/story/life/family/2016/03/29/computer-based-testing-frenzy-begins/82384142/
Florida Testing Season Has Opt-Out Proponents Hoping More Will Join
http://news.wfsu.org/post/testing-season-has-opt-out-proponents-hoping-more-will-join
Florida Teacher Letter to Students Explains That Test Scores Don’t Measure Their Worth
http://www.local10.com/education/teacher-writes-emotional-letter-to-students-ahead-of-state-testing

Georgia Tired of School Testing Overkill, Georgia Cuts Back
http://www.myajc.com/news/news/local-education/tired-of-school-testing-georgia-cuts-back/nqyc9/

Illinois Opt-Out Advocates Organize to Expand Movement
https://www.wbez.org/shows/wbez-news/will-parents-opt-their-kids-out-of-parcc-test-like-last-year/c336d6c2-978d-4831-942f-cb1ac68caaa5
Illinois Refusing PARCC Tests: Why and How
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/winnetka/community/chi-ugc-article-concerns-about-the-parcc-tests-and-how-to-o-2016-04-04-story.html

Maine Teach to the Test Paradigm Fails to Prepare Students for Real-World Problems

Sea Change: Teach-to-the-test paradigm fails in the face of problems like global warming

Massachusetts How to Opt-Out of the State Tests Video

Massachusetts All School Districts Should Be Able to Adopt Test Opt-Out Policies
http://wbsm.com/if-amherst-pelham-can-opt-out-new-bedford-should-be-able-to-refuse/
Massachusetts School Board Member Opts Own Child Out of State Tests
http://lawrencereceivership.com/2016/03/your-right-to-opt-out-of-parcc-and-mcas-testing/

New Jersey As Testing Begins, Will Students Again Opt Out in Droves
http://nj1015.com/parcc-testing-underway-will-nj-students-opt-out-in-droves-again/

New Mexico ACLU Challenges Ban on Teacher Criticism of Tests
http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2016/03/30/new-mexico-teachers-challenge-ban-on_ap.html
New Mexico State Legislator Seeks Clarity on Opt-Out Penalty Threats
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/senator-looks-for-clarity-in-opting-out-of-testing/article_338648dc-e4ba-5245-bb91-75e3a35d6e4e.html

New York Parents, Educators Organize to Repeat Opt-Out Success
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/parents-teachers-hope-repeat-testing-opt-out-movement-article-1.2581979
New York Black Principal Lauded for Score Growth Now Speaks Out Against Tests
https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20160330/eastchester/bronx-principal-lauded-for-test-growth-now-speaks-out-against-them
New York What Does the Opt-Out Movement Want This Year?
http://ny.chalkbeat.org/2016/03/30/what-does-the-opt-out-movement-want-this-year/
New York Failed Tests Lead to Impending High School Graduation Crisis

Failed Tests and New York’s Looming Graduation Crisis

Ohio Local Superintendents Blast Test-Based School Report Cards
http://www.athensmessenger.com/news/local-supts-state-report-card-not-an-accurate-representation-of/article_370769fb-d5fc-5d07-9acb-59f66081225e.html

Oklahoma Bill to Terminate State End-of-Course Tests Considered by Legislature
http://www.tulsaworld.com/communities/skiatook/schools/measure-to-eliminate-end-of-instruction-exams-to-be-considered/article_9d460100-574e-570e-bc3d-d7f0c6b0e11e.html

Pennsylvania Standardized Testing Opponents Forecast Increase in Opt Outs
http://triblive.com/news/allegheny/10216576-74/tests-students-opt
Pennsylvania Test Scores Are Not a Strong Predictor of School Success
http://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2016/03/test_scores_arent_always_an_ac.html

Rhode Island Cyber Attack Postpones Testing
http://wpri.com/2016/03/30/cyber-attack-postpones-parcc-testing-at-warwick-schools/

Tennessee State Tries to Slow Growing Opt-Out Movement
http://tn.chalkbeat.org/2016/04/04/state-seeks-to-limit-opt-out-options-emphasizes-testing-balance-as-tnready-part-ii-approaches/
Tennessee Board Agrees Schools Stressed by Testing
http://www.murfreesboropost.com/city-schools-stressed-by-tests-board-agrees-cms-44033

Texas Computer Testing Glitch Wiped Out Many Students Answers
http://www.houstonpress.com/news/staar-testing-glitch-erased-untold-number-of-students-test-answers-8285376
Texas Students Opt Out of State Testing
http://www.kiiitv.com/story/31596941/houston-area-students-opt-out-of-staar-testing
Texas My Son Is Much More Than His Test Score
http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/latest-columns/20160330-kathleen-thompson-my-son-is-much-more-than-his-staar-test-score.ece

Teachers Will New Exams Make the Profession More Overwhelmingly White?
http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-04-04/will-new-teacher-tests-make-the-profession-more-overwhelmingly-white

ACT/SAT Security Breaches Hamper International Admissions Test Administrations
http://www.educationdive.com/news/security-breaches-plague-international-sat-administration/416434/

What the Testing Juggernaut Gets So Wrong About American Schools
http://www.alternet.org/education/what-testing-juggernaut-americas-schools-gets-so-wrong-about-education

More Than a Score: Jesse Hagopian TED Talk

Is Education Being Measured To Death?
http://educationopportunitynetwork.org/is-education-being-measured-to-death/

Politicians Think Your Kids Need Standardized Testing — But Not Theirs
http://www.thenation.com/article/these-politicians-think-your-kids-need-high-stakes-testing-but-not-theirs/

Kindergartener’s Unexpected Test Answer Is Going Viral
http://www.seventeen.com/life/school/news/a39211/this-kindergartener-hilarious-test-answer-is-so-wrong-but-so-perfect/

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