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