Testing Reform in the News: January 17 - 23, 2013

As the length of this week's list of good stories and resources indicates, resistance to high-stakes testing continues to escalate across the nation -- from Washington State to Texas and Oklahoma to New Jersey as well as many communities in between.  Note the leadership roles being played by teachers, administrators, parents, academic experts and FairTest . . . all pulling together for real assessment reform!
 

What Would MLK Say About the Fight Against High-Stakes Testing?
  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lisa-guisbond/what-would-mlk-say-about-_b_2507642.html

Teachers Test Boycott Draws Growing National Support
  http://seattletimes.com/html/education/2020185045_mapprotestxml.html

Why Garfield Teachers Boycotted the Test (by a high school faculty member)
  http://seattletimes.com/html/opinion/2020158085_jessehagopianopedxml.html

Teachers at More Seattle Schools Support Boycott
  http://westseattleblog.com/2013/01/more-west-seattle-teachers-back-map-testing-revolt-now-schmitz-park-elementary

AFT Backs Seattle Teachers Testing Boycott
  https://www.facebook.com/notes/aft-american-federation-of-teachers/aft-president-randi-weingartens-message-of-support-to-the-teachers-at-seattles-g/469809323083530

Oklahoma Experts, Parents Slam A-F School Grading Scheme
  http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=19&articleid=20130118_19_A1_Policy299664
  http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20130119_19_A14_JENKST301856

New Jersey Superintendent Dissects Test-Driven "Reform Train Wreck"
  http://anjfarmer.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-new-jersey-education-reform-train.html

Texas Lawmakers Poised to Reduce Testing Overkill
  http://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/state-politics/20130119-texas-lawmakers-poised-to-revamp-standardized-testing-program-for-students.ece

Texans Advocating for Meaningful Student Assessment (TAMSA) website
  http://www.tamsatx.org/about-us.html
 

Texas Bill Would Change Testing Graduation Rules
  http://www.sfgate.com/news/texas/article/Texas-bill-would-change-testing-graduation-rules-4214520.php

A Call for Pres. Obama to Change Course on Education
  http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2012/11/07/a-call-for-president-obama-to-change-course-on-education/

The Impact of Test Anxiety on Young Children
  http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/01/19/how-test-anxiety-affected-a-young-boy/

What Parents Need to Know About Standardized Tests -- compiled by Chicago parents and other testing resisters
  http://chicagotestingresistance.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/testing-parent-faq-final2.pdf

Mr. Obama: Most Schools Are Not Like the One Your Daughters Attend
  http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2013/01/23/18jones_ep.h32.html

8 Ways to Fight High-Stakes Testing -- A New FairTest Infographic
   http://www.fairtest.org/8-ways-to-fight-infographic