FairTest Testing Resistance & Reform News: August 23 - 29, 2017

FairTest Testing Resistance & Reform News: August 23 - 29, 2017

Bob Schaeffer

You can tell that a new school year is beginning across the U.S. by the surge in testing-related coverage -- this week's clips include news from 20 states as well as national overviews. FairTest is especially pleased that so many stories and columns include strong criticisms of standardized exam misuse and overuse, reflecting a growing consensus for assessment reform that is also revealed in recent public opinion polls.

National Many States Begin Shedding K-12 Exam Mandates

https://www.districtadministration.com/article/states-begin-shedding-standardized-tests-k12  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

National New Poll Finds Little Public Support for Standardized Testing

http://pdkpoll.org/results#measuring-school-quality  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

Alabama State Board Member Wants to Institutionalize Special Ed. Students to Boost Average Test Scores

http://www.rawstory.com/2017/08/alabama-state-school-board-member-wants-to-institutionalize-special-needs-students-to-boost-test-scores/  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

Arizona School Grades Delayed to Massage Ranking Formula

http://tucson.com/news/local/state-issued-letter-grades-for-arizona-schools-will-likely-be/article_1548cf97-1e35-58f3-b8d9-9656d6bea4a5.html  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

California State Board Dismisses Complaints From Test-and-Punish Advocates

https://edsource.org/2017/national-group-sharply-criticizes-states-plan-for-every-student-succeeds-act/586312  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

California Test Scores Delayed Indefinitely Due to "Data Issues"

http://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-essential-education-updates-southern-california-s-standardized-test-score-1503703716-htmlstory.html  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

California Parents Prep Kids for Kindergarten Entrance Tests

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/toddler-test-prep-1032351  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

Colorado State Asks Feds for More Time to Integrate Opt-Out Policy Into ESSA Plan

https://www.chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2017/08/25/colorado-tells-feds-it-needs-more-time-to-rethink-opt-out-policy/  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

Florida Governor Candidate Says Testing Cripples Education

http://www.newsherald.com/news/20170822/graham-education-her-primary-commitment  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

Idaho New Graduation Requirements Stir Debate Over Tests' Value

https://www.idahoednews.org/news/new-graduation-requirements-stir-debate-value-test-scores/  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

Indiana Superintendent of Education Says, "We Assess Kids to Death"

http://www.thebraziltimes.com/story/2438328.html  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

Maryland School Test Scores Can be Highly Misleading

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/readersrespond/bs-ed-rr-parcc-scores-20170825-story.html  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

Maryland The Limits of Standardized Testing

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/readersrespond/bs-ed-rr-parcc-20170824-story.html  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

Maryland State Board of Education Debates School Rating System

http://www.wbaltv.com/article/maryland-tweaks-star-rating-system-for-schools/12049164  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

Massachusetts Moving Beyond MCAS: Current School Quality Measures Are Incomplete, Inaccurate

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/education/moving-beyond-mcas/  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

Minnesota Aggregated Test Scores Mislead on School Performance

http://www.sctimes.com/story/opinion/2017/08/27/aggregated-test-scores-mislead-school-performance/593807001/  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

New Jersey Replacing High-Stakes Testing with Broader Education?

http://www.app.com/story/opinion/columnists/2017/08/25/njea-marie-blistan-new-president/104942726/  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

New Mexico Do School Grades Show Real Academic Performance or "Noise"?

http://www.ladailypost.com/content/wadt-guide-school-grades-real-or-noise  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

New Mexico Time to Dump PARCC Tests?

http://www.publicnewsservice.org/2017-08-24/education/time-to-dump-new-mexico-student-parcc-tests/a59135-1  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

New York Teachers Call Test Scores "Virtually Meaningless"

http://www.publicnewsservice.org/2017-08-23/education/ny-teachers-call-latest-test-scores-meaningless/a59115-1  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

New York 225,000 Students Opted Out of State Tests in 2017

http://www.nysape.org/nysape-pr-2017-opt-out-results.html  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

North Carolina The Failure of Using Business-Model Practices Like VAM in Education

https://www.ednc.org/2017/08/09/cost-business-education-world/  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

Ohio Test Scores Don't Tell Us Anything We Did Not Already Know

http://www.dailycall.com/opinion/columns/27322/the-great-debate-rages-on  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

Pennsylvania Spending Too Much Time on Testing and Not Getting Enough Back

http://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/opinion/2017/08/24/editorial-costs-standardized-testing-continue-grow/593225001/  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

Tennessee Parents Should Opt Out of Standardized Testing Madness

http://www.commercialappeal.com/story/opinion/contributors/2017/08/24/parents-should-opt-out-standardized-testing-madness/594774001/  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

Tennessee Weeks Into New School Year, Last Spring's Test Scores Still Not Available

http://wjhl.com/2017/08/25/weeks-into-new-school-year-and-some-tn-ready-official-test-scores-are-still-not-available/  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

Virginia Principal and Teachers Fired at School Where Staff Cheated on Exams

http://www.richmond.com/news/local/central-virginia/tri-cities/petersburg/teachers-fired-principal-out-at-petersburg-school-where-staff-helped/article_a2dd285c-5191-5e61-bdb3-0a11cf7ddd92.html  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

Washington ESSA Plan Moves Beyond No Child Left Behind

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/education/before-and-after-washingtons-plan-for-the-every-student-succeeds-act/  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

West Virginia More Changes to Draft ESSA Plan

http://www.wvgazettemail.com/news-education/20170826/wvs-essa-plan-seeing-further-changes-praise-criticism  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

International Principals in India Say Students Gain Nothing From Competency Tests

http://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/mumbai-principals-say-students-gain-nothing-from-competency-tests/story-d3L20MRhxEVy5C5oVEYWzK.html  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

University University Bloomfield College Now Has Test-Optional Admissions Policy

http://www.northjersey.com/story/news/essex/bloomfield/2017/08/28/bloomfield-college-now-has-test-optional-policy/609846001/  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

University California State System Eliminates Placement-Test Based Remedial Courses

http://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/openforum/article/CSU-finally-ends-remedial-classes-that-delay-11946283.php  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

Worth Reading New Book "Beyond Test Scores: A Better Way to Measure School Quality"

http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674976399  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

Worth Reading Closing Schools with Low Scores Does Not Help Most Students

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2017/08/24/closing-failing-schools-doesnt-help-most-students.html  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

Worth Reading Questions Parents Should Ask Schools About Testing Their Children

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1844518558897873&set=a.137773602905719.26097.100000192405525&type=3&theater  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

Support Heroes in Education Be sure to order your tickets or make your contribution for FairTest's October 26 "Heroes in Education" award reception honoring Schott Foundation head John Jackson and Mass. Teachers Association President Barbara Madeloni.  Details at: http://www.fairtest.org/fairtest-to-honor-jackson-and-madeloni  #EdBlogNet @FairTestOffice @idraedu

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

FairTest Testing Resistance & Reform News July 12 - 18, 2017

FairTest Testing Resistance & Reform News July 12 - 18, 2017

There's no evidence of any "summer doldrums" for the U.S. assessment reform movement.  With each week, more and more states respond to grassroots pressure by reducing testing mandates and the time devoted to standardized exams. Nationally, the impact is striking: for example, the number of jurisdictions with high school exit exams has been trimmed to just 13, down from 27 that once had or planned such requirements (http://fairtest.org/graduation-test-update-states-recently-eliminated).

Alabama Why Teacher Diversity Is Important for Student Academic Performance
http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2017/07/why_its_important_to_have_a_di.html

California Controversies Over State ESSA Plan
http://www.dailynews.com/general-news/20170716/state-board-faces-deadline-tough-decisions-on-new-federal-law-for-improving-schools

District of Columbia The Truth About Cheating in DC Schools
https://themerrowreport.com/2017/07/14/school-reforms-hot-air-balloon/

Florida Algebra 2 End-of-Course Testing Mandate Ended
http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/gradebook/can-florida-students-still-take-the-algebra-2-end-of-course-exam/2330027

Idaho Small Schools May Be Exempt Under Proposed ESSA Accountability Plan
https://www.idahoednews.org/news/small-schools-may-exempt-accountability-provisions-essa-plan/

Maryland State Seeks Feedback on ESSA Plan
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/harford/aegis/ph-ag-new-school-ratings-0712-20170711-story.html
Maryland Impact of State Testing Time Limits Will Vary Among Districts
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/education/k-12/bs-md-testing-cap-20170714-story.html

Massachusetts What Today's Education Reformers Can Learn From Thoreau
http://www.masslive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2017/07/what_todays_education_reformer.html

Minnesota Students Talk About Standardized Testing -- St. Paul Federation of Teachers Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNHYPtsNBFk&feature=youtu.be

Montana Educators Criticize Fairness of Proposal for Testing Learning Disabled Students
http://missoulian.com/news/government-and-politics/educators-question-fairness-of-opi-s-proposal-for-disabled-students/article_3c4487a8-48b5-5ac2-8e6f-d90851533700.html

New York Educators Judged by Test Scores From Students, Subjects They Don't Teach
http://www.chalkbeat.org/posts/ny/2017/07/13/new-data-show-more-than-half-of-nyc-teachers-judged-in-part-by-test-scores-they-dont-directly-affect/

Ohio How Graduation Testing Requirements Have Been Relaxed
http://www.mydaytondailynews.com/news/what-you-need-know-about-ohio-new-graduation-changes/C4K4KoZluw0no2xQ5gLsQN/
Ohio Third Graders May Be Held Back Due to Errors in Setting Test Cut-Off Scores
http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2017/07/errors_could_unfairly_force_som.html

Oklahoma Ever-Changing State Assessment Requirements
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/education/attention-parents-of-oklahoma-students-delay-in-state-test-scores/article_17af4de7-8866-524c-96e2-f5f7f026dc9b.html

Oregon Test Scores Are the Wrong Bottom Line for Education
http://registerguard.com/rg/opinion/35754947-78/test-scores-are-wrong-bottom-line-in-education.html.csp

Pennsylvania Teaching to the Test Takes Time From Real Learning
http://www.readingeagle.com/voices/article/teaching-to-the-test

Texas State Testing Data Inconsistencies Do Not Support Year-to-Year Comparisons
http://www.chron.com/news/education/article/Fewer-Texas-Houston-students-pass-state-s-11286107.php

Virginia Standardized Tests To Have Smaller Influence Under Proposed New Law
http://wvtf.org/post/standardized-tests-could-have-smaller-impact-under-potential-new-law#stream/0

Washington Make Legislators Pass Fifth Grade Math Test
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article161033609.html

Wisconsin Eliminate Test-Based Barriers to Becoming a Teacher
http://bustedpencils.com/2017/07/no-status-quo-wisconsin/

University Admissions Law Deans Ask Why Their Schools Should Be Required to Use Admissions Tests
http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/rather_than_accept_more_entrance_exams_some_law_school_deans_favor_eliminat

Actionable Knowledge for Equity bulletin on bullying and harassment, actionable data, quality teaching, and school leadership.

IDRA's Actionable Knowledge for Equity bulletin gives you info on four campaign areas: bullying and harassment, actionable data, quality teaching, and school leadership.

--------- July 2017 --------- IDRA's Actionable Knowledge for Equity bulletin gives you info on four campaign areas: bullying and harassment, actionable data, quality teaching, and school leadership. In this issue...  Most In-school Bullying Occurs in Hallways and Classrooms Racial-ethnic Tension Occurs at All Grade Levels 5 Reasons Research Shows Teacher Leave School Boards that Lead for Equity - Podcast IDRA's empirically-based  Quality Schools Action Framework outlines indispensable levers of change that depend on the production and use of actionable knowledge - clear, accurate and timely information - to assess what is needed to strengthen public schooling. Bullying and Harassment  Most In-school Bullying Occurs in Hallways and Classrooms  In May, NCES released the School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey with data on bullying. About 21 percent of teens (12 to 18 years old) reported being bullied at school during the school year in 2015. By race-ethnicity, 25 percent of Black students, 22 percent of White students and 17 percent of Hispanic students reported being bullied at school. By grade levels, the percentage was higher for sixth graders than students in eighth through 12th grades.  The graph below shows the location where the bullying was reported to have occurred, with the most being in a school hallway or stairwell followed by bullying inside the classroom. Location of Bullying in Schools Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey, 2015. Location totals may sum to more than 100 percent because students could have been bullied in more than one location. See the report overview, "Bullying at School and Cyber-Bullying Anywhere" Other Resources * "Bullying Prevention Guide for Parents, Teachers, School Administrators & Community Members," by ING * "Bullying: Guidelines for Teachers," by Teaching Tolerance Actionable Data  Racial-ethnic Tension Occurs at All Grade Levels While the perception may be that racial-ethnic tension is most prominent among older teenagers, schools across the country are reporting issues that lead to discipline problems at all grade levels. Middle schools have over twice the rate of other levels. And surprisingly, elementary schools have higher rates than high schools.  Source: NCES Digest of Education Statistics. Percentage of public schools reporting selected discipline problems that occurred at school, by frequency and selected school characteristics: Selected years, 1999-2000 through 2013-14.  Quality Teaching  Research Brief Outlines Teacher Shortage Issues and Key Strategies See "Solving the Teacher Shortage: How to Attract and Retain Excellent Educators" and related resources by the Learning Policy Institute School Leadership  School Boards that Lead for Equity -  Classnotes Podcast In order for educational equity to take hold in a school, it is critical that it be in an environment where the district level governance structure provides leadership for systemic equity. A former superintendent in three school districts, Dr. Larry Leverett is the recently-retired executive director of Panasonic Foundation that supports efforts of school systems to improve academic and social outcomes for all students. In this podcast episode, he describes how the Panasonic Foundation has shifted its focus to school board leadership in advancing system-wide equity strategies. (Show length: 15:29 min.) Listen now! Dr. Leverett is one of the authors of the journal that was published earlier this year, Essential Approaches for Excellence & Sustainable School System Transformation, that was developed by a group of experts who came together to pull together capacity-building approaches for school and system change. As he relates in this interview, Larry's chapter, Systems Change and Governance: School Boards That Lead for Equity, outlines several actions boards should take. Larry is interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., former director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity, who also contributed a chapter in the ECCBN journal. Send comments to podcast@idra.org. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.

Website     Technical Assistance    Research    Pressroom   Contact Us The Intercultural Development Research Association is an independent, non-profit organization. Our mission is to achieve equal educational opportunity for every child through strong public schools that prepare all students to access and succeed in college. IDRA strengthens and transforms public education by providing dynamic training; useful research, evaluation, and frameworks for action; timely policy analyses; and innovative materials and programs. We are committed to the IDRA valuing philosophy, respecting the knowledge and skills of the individuals we work with and build on the strengths of the students and parents in their schools.

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FairTest Testing Resistance & Reform News: May 31 - June 6, 2017

FairTest Testing Resistance & Reform News: May 31 - June 6, 2017

Intense controversies over testing continue at the state and local levels.  Many legislatures and school boards are responding to the demands of grassroots assessment reformers by eliminating some standardized exams and reducing the stakes attached to their scores.

National New Federal Law May Increase Testing of English Language Learners
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2017/05/24/more-testing-is-forecast-for-nations-ell.html

Alabama Changes Could Be Coming to State Testing
http://www.clantonadvertiser.com/2017/05/30/changes-could-be-coming-to-state-testing/

California Board Rethinking How to Assess Alternative Schools
http://www.dailynews.com/general-news/20170603/california-board-of-education-rethinking-how-to-measure-alternative-school-performance

Florida School Grading System Encourages Students to Take Two Final Exam in Same Course
http://extracredit.blog.palmbeachpost.com/2017/06/01/parent-2-final-exams-for-the-same-course-blame-school-grades-formula/

Illinois State Science Exam Scores Delayed by More Than a Year
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-science-exams-met-20170605-story.html

New Jersey Over-testing Is Hurting the Children It Was Supposed to Help
https://dianeravitch.net/2017/06/05/new-jersey-over-testing-is-hurting-the-children-it-is-supposed-to-help/

New York Taking Too Many Tests Detracts From Joy of Learning
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/life/2017/06/01/too-many-tests-can-detract-joy-learning/345679001/
New York Rebranding Common Core as "Next Generation Learning Standards"
https://suffolktimes.timesreview.com/2017/06/75579/common-core-rebranded-next-generation-learning-standards/

North Carolina End-of-Grade Tests Cause Panic Attacks in Young Children
https://www.facebook.com/talesofaneducateddebutante/posts/1894555084119885:0

Ohio ACT Reverses Policy and Will Score Exams After Test-maker's Mistake
http://abc6onyourside.com/news/local/act-to-accept-score-all-1300-tests-originally-deemed-invalid-due-to-misadministration

Pennsylvania Keystone Exams Get Failing Grade
http://www.dailylocal.com/general-news/20170603/keystone-exams-get-a-failing-grade-locally

South Carolina Questions About Role of Test Scores in Teacher Evaluations
http://counton2.com/2017/05/30/charleston-teacher-evaluations-questioned-for-emphasis-on-test-scores/

Tennessee Scanning Problems Further Delay Test Score Reporting
http://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/education/2017/06/02/scanning-problems-delay-tnready-scores/366219001/

Texas Legislature Wants to Extend Non-Test Graduation Options
http://www.kristv.com/story/35553851/the-states-alternative-graduation-program
Texas State Sanctions More Educators for Test Cheating
http://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/education/episd/2017/06/02/state-sanctions-el-paso-high-coronado-administrators/365465001/

Washington Legislators Press to Eliminate Graduation Testing Requirement
http://katu.com/news/local/washington-state-lawmakers-want-to-change-hs-graduation-based-on-passing-tests
Washington Linking Graduation to High-Stakes Exams Was a Mistake
http://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/linking-graduation-to-high-stakes-testing-was-a-mistake/?

Worth Reading Is the U.S. Education and Testing System Producing a Society of Smart Fools
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-the-u-s-education-system-producing-a-society-of-ldquo-smart-fools-rdquo/?WT.mc_id=SA_FB_MB_NEWS

Worth Reading Funder Backed Project Explores Alternatives to Standardized Tests
https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2017/6/1/self-assessment-personalized-learning-grants

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