Testing Resistance & Reform News: March 11 - 17, 2015 - FairTest: National Center for Fair & Open Testing #EdBlogNet @idraedu #idraed

Testing Resistance & Reform News: March 11 - 17, 2015

FairTest: National Center for Fair & Open Testing

Bob Schaeffer bobschaeffer@earthlink.net

As the peak of spring standardized exam season nears, parents, students, teachers, superintendents, school board members, and state officials are escalating campaigns to stop testing overuse and misuse.  Once again this week, testing resistance and reform stories come from more than half the 50 states demonstrating the breadth and depth of the national movement. 

Please re-post any of these that you consider important for our broader community that wants to have excellent public schools and reduce the harm that comes to children from excessive and inappropriate assessment - Aurelio

Arkansas Parents Frustrated by PARCC Test Confusion
http://www.arkansasmatters.com/story/d/story/parents-frustrated-by-parcc-testing-confusion/11575/TwwMjvP36kmAOz2wHN6sMA

California Suspends Use of Test Scores to Evaluate School Quality
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-test-scores-suspended-20150311-story.html
California Families Exercise Legal Right to Opt Their Children Out of Standardized Tests
http://www.kcra.com/news/more-california-parents-exercise-right-to-skip-standardzed-tests/31725478

Colorado Students Explain Protest Movements
http://co.chalkbeat.org/2015/03/09/rising-up-voices-from-colorados-student-protest-movement/#.VQAxMZNLUZw

Colorado State School Board Rejects High "Cut Scores" on Controversial New Test
http://blogs.denverpost.com/coloradoclassroom/2015/03/11/state-board-rejects-cut-scores-high-school-cmas-tests/4597/

Connecticut Teachers Propose State Testing Overhaul
http://wnpr.org/post/connecticut-education-association-asks-legislators-cut-back-standardized-tests
Connecticut Superintendents Offer Alternative Assessment Vision
http://ctmirror.org/2015/03/16/op-ed-connecticut-education-vision-lacks-clarity-coherence-superintendents-say/

Delaware Governor Planning Review of All State Testing
http://www.wdde.org/74173-governor-mulling-state-testing-review
Opt Outs Spread as Delaware Testing Begins
http://www.wboc.com/story/28397642/state-testing-starts-as-opt-out-debate-continues

Florida Testing Fails Every Educational Standard
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/broward/article13572452.html
Chaotic Florida Testing Rollout Frustrates Parents and Officials
http://www.southlakepress.com/news/article_d81aff87-a2a7-5418-a8b2-826aad420629.html

Georgia Test Cheating Trial Final Arguments Begin
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/16/us-usa-georgia-state-teachers-idUSKBN0MC12220150316

Idaho Teachers Push Back Against Plan to Blame Them for Low Student Scores
http://www.idahostatesman.com/2015/03/15/3698338/lineylineyan-idaho-commitment.html

Illinois Parents Seek PARCC Opt-Out Legislation
http://watchdog.org/204911/il-parents-parcc-optout/
Illinois PARCC Testing Begins With Pushback, Confusion
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-parcc-common-core-test-launches-met-20150312-story.html#page=1
The Battle Over Standardized Testing in Chicago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JM1ddULfdhU&feature=youtu.be

Indiana Student Testing Protests Applauded
http://www.pantagraph.com/news/opinion/mailbag/student-protests-of-parcc-applauded/article_e708492d-5f03-5875-aaf8-e24282e36d2e.html
Indiana School Super Blasts Plan to Award $134 Million in Testing Contracts Primarily to Pearson
http://wishtv.com/2015/03/11/indiana-recommends-nearly-134m-in-student-testing-contracts/

Louisiana Testing Coordinators Concerned About PARCC Exam Security
http://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/local/2015/03/12/testing-coordinators-concerned-parcc-security/70200154/
Billboard Promotes Louisiana Opt Out
http://klfy.com/2015/03/13/parcc-billboard-appears-in-lafayette-opt-outs-increase/

Maine Opt-Outs Send Strong Message to Schools
http://www.pressherald.com/2015/03/12/another-view-opting-out-of-testing-sends-strong-message-to-schools/
Standardized Testing is the Problem, Not Right to Opt Out
http://bangordailynews.com/2015/03/12/opinion/contributors/standardized-testing-is-the-problem-not-the-right-to-opt-out/

Maryland Letter to the Editor: No Law Requires Child to Take Standardized Test
http://www.delmarvanow.com/story/opinion/readers/2015/03/10/opinion-readers-gebhart-parcc/24738133/
Some Maryland Students Start Opting Out of Tests
http://www.heraldmailmedia.com/news/education/some-washington-county-parents-opting-out-of-parcc-testing/article_de3ebd88-caa0-11e4-a30b-dbb067e423e0.html

Massachusetts Governor Promises Review of State Plan to Move to PARCC Tests
http://www.salemnews.com/news/local_news/baker-parcc-test-to-get-more-scrutiny/article_da44a69d-aaf8-5b40-8814-20f77209d21c.html
Beyond MCAS and PARCC: Sat. March 21 Conference on Alternative Assessments That Work
https://www.facebook.com/events/925164690861479/

Minnesota Schools Have Too Much Testing
http://www.startribune.com/opinion/editorials/296141751.html
Opt Out Push Urges Minnesota Families to Buck Standardized Tests
http://www.sctimes.com/story/news/local/2015/03/15/opt-push-urges-parents-buck-standardized-tests/70277796/

Mississippi Parents Protest PARCC; Tell Kids to Skip Tests
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2015/03/16/parents-protest-parcc-kids-skip-test/24857925/
Mississippi Seeks New Testing Vendor
http://www.msnewsnow.com/story/28534661/mississippi-accepting-bids-for-new-testing-vendor

New Jersey Families Lead Opt-Out Movement
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/students-refusing-take-common-core-test/
Test Refusals Higher Than Expected in Many New Jersey Communities
http://www.northjersey.com/news/education/test-refusals-higher-than-first-predicted-1.1287380

New Mexico Schools Elevate Testing Over Teaching
http://www.sfreporter.com/santafe/article-10070-testing-over-teachin.html
More Than 5% Opt Out at Several Santa Fe Schools
http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20150317/NEWS/150319406/14111

New York Opt-Out Rally Draws 1,000+
http://www.longislandpress.com/2015/03/12/anti-common-core-fury-intensifies-on-long-island-protest-draws-more-than-1k/
New York Teachers Union Backs Opt Out Right
http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/news05/nysut-says-parents-have-right-to-opt-students-out-of-state-testing-20150315
Where a Teacher's Job Depends on Students' Test Scores
http://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/when-a-teachers-job-depends-on-a-childs-test

Ohio Testing Protest Stories Dominate Education News
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/03/11/education-insider-ohios-new-tests-discussed-all-over.html
Ohio Legislature Passes Bill to Protect Students From Testing Impact
http://www.crescent-news.com/ohio%20statehouse/2015/03/11/action-to-protect-students-from-future-exams

Oklahoma Educators Launch "Common Sense Testing Tour"
http://www.woodwardnews.net/news/high-stakes-testing-topic-of-oea-stop/article_6bb2cbb6-caf4-11e4-abe7-bba216ec234b.html

Oregon Bills to Determine Fate of Statewide Exams
http://watchdog.org/205446/testing-education-bills-oregon/
Oregon Students Need Less Testing, Better Education
http://registerguard.com/rg/opinion/32860443-78/students-need-better-instruction-less-testing.html.csp

Pennsylvania Officials Worry About Scheduling Project-Based Assessments
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/bethlehem/index.ssf/2015/03/bethlehem_school_officials_wor_1.html
English Language Learners Fuel Philadelphia Opt-Out Movement
http://thenotebook.org/blog/158319/students-still-learning-english-fuel-opt-out-movement
New Analysis Questions Pennsylvania School Performance Rating Systems
http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/homepage-feature/item/79520-new-analysis-questions-validity-of-pas-school-performance-profile-rating

Rhode Island Bill Would Allow Students to Opt Out of Tests Without Penalty
http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20150313/NEWS/150319670/14111
Students Protest Dismissal of Test-Critic Teachers
http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20150317/NEWS/150319406/14111

South Dakota Common Core Exams Test Schools' Technical Readiness
http://www.argusleader.com/story/news/education/2015/03/14/sd-ready-common-core-testing/24773377/

Texas A-F School Grades Flunked by Public Education Advocates
http://www.texasobserver.org/public-school-advocates-give-a-f-school-rating-system-an-f/

Wisconsin Cuts Back Length of New Common Core Test
http://host.madison.com/news/local/education/blog/state-trims-back-new-student-test/article_1b9fa306-160a-501a-99f4-2a2a020c57cb.html
Wisconsin Legislature Fast-Tracking Bill to Pause Use of Test Scores to Judge Teachers and Schools
http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/legislature-fast-tracking-school-accountability-pause-bill-b99459530z1-295788361.html

Six Questions for Arne Duncan About Teacher Evaluation
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2015/03/16/six-questions-for-education-secretary-arne-duncan-will-he-answer-them/

Yong Zhao: How Should Learning Be Assessed
http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/03/how-should-learning-be-assessed/

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