After days of withering criticism for a policy of holding back third graders who opt out of the state test, after failing to get any support from the State Education Department, the school officials of Manatee County, Florida, backed down and agreed that third grade students could use alternative methods to be promoted to fourth grade.
Peter Greene updated his post here.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Diane, thanks so much for the follow up. Your coverage and efforts are appreciated by all of us who care about returning control to teachers and principals.
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Of course, even your average 3rd grader is smart enough to know that you don’t threaten something you aren’t 1000% ready to back up.
These reformers cannot shoot straight. Outlandish threats and then a surrender. Talk about signaling weakness and chaos.
Meanwhile, here in Dallas ISD, tomorrow is the last day of classes and many students have still not gotten their oh-so-important STAAR test results. TODAY students were asking when they would get their results. Way to go, Mike Morath (commissioner of the Texas Ed Agency even though he never taught a day in his life)!
The level of incompetence (and arrogance) astounds me.
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Hooray. One small victory over outrage.
J. H. Underhill
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