Testing Resistance & Reform News: April 24 - May 1, 2013

Wow! It's been another incredible week with a huge number of clips demonstrating the growing strength of the assessment reform movement. You can help Deborah Meier honor Jonathan Kozol and build the national high-stakes testing resistance by making a contribution at:  http://www.fairtest.org/donate
 

The Coming Revolution in Public Education
    http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/04/the-coming-revolution-in-public-education/275163/

Questioning the Test -- FairTest "Education Experts" Response in National Journal
     http://education.nationaljournal.com/2013/04/questioning-the-test.php#2322190

Massive Cheating Scandals Rock Schools Across Nation
     http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=10102

AFT Head Calls for Moratorium on High-Stakes Common Core Testing
     http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2013/04/halt_high_stakes_linked_to_common_core.html

NEA Leader Supports Two-Year Moratorium on Common Core Teacher Evaluation
     http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/30/common-core-moratorium-teacher-evaluations_n_3187419.html?utm_hp_ref=@education123

Is Common Core Test Opposition Nearing a "Tipping Point"?
     http://mets2006.wordpress.com/2013/05/01/weingarten-calls-for-a-moratorium-on-the-implementation-of-the-common-core-a-save-harmless-year-for-planning-that-includes-parents-teachers-and-principals/

FairTest Fact Sheet on Common Core Tests
     http://www.fairtest.org/common-core-assessments-more-tests-not-much-better

History of Pearson's Test Scoring and Administration Screw-ups
     http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/04/24/a-brief-history-of-pearsons-problems-with-testing/

See the Great Graphic of a Revised, More Accurate Pearson Logo
     https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151447390058742&set=np.75989742.1263700442&type=1

Mom's Group Shakes Up Texas Testing
      http://www.statesman.com/news/news/moms-group-shakes-up-status-quo-on-texas-testing-r/nXZCx/

No Child Left Behind "Cheating Children" -- writes former Pennsylvania Superintendent
     http://www.delcotimes.com/articles/2013/04/30/opinion/doc517f0e0b1402c098930478.txt

Chicago Student Explains Reasons for Test Boycott
     http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/living-in-dialogue/2013/04/we_are_chicago_students_and_we.html

Chicago Public Schools Cancel Testing for Youngest Students
     http://www.wbez.org/news/cps-cancels-testing-youngest-students-106852

Assessment Reformers React to Reduction in Required Exams
     http://pureparents.org/?p=20552

Teachers at Two More Seattle Schools Join MAP Test Boycott
     http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2020888064_maptestxml.html?prmid=4939

Why California Parents Opted Their Son Out of Testing -- A Model Letter to the Editor
     http://www.burbankleader.com/opinion/tn-blr-0424-why-they-opted-out-of-school-testing,0,6834419.story

Taunton Mass. School Committee Votes to Sign National Resolution on High Stakes Testing
     http://www.tauntongazette.com/news/x1416813694/Taunton-School-Committee-signs-resolution-against-high-stakes-tests?zc_p=0       Sign on Yourself and Your Organizations: http://timeoutfromtesting.org/nationalresolution/

Huge Opt-Out Campaign Revives Upstate New York Debate About Standardized Exam Overkill
     http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130422/CITYANDREGION/130429702/1003

New York Times LTE: "We've Had Enough of High-Stakes Testing"
     http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/26/opinion/high-stakes-tests-in-new-york.html

Local School Boards Endorse Resolution Against High-Stakes Testing
     http://www.dailygazette.com/weblogs/back-school/2013/apr/24/averial-park-opposes-state-testing/

The Trouble With Not Releasing Test Items After Exam Administration
     http://eyeoned.org/content/the-trouble-with-new-yorks-decision-not-to-release-test-items_450/

Minnesota Legislature Passes Bills Ending Grad Test Requirement
     http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/265412/
 

Online Testing Problems Worry Minnesota Educators
     http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2013/04/25/education/online-testing-problems

Minnesota's Testing Regimen Not Worth the Cost -- Commentary by Teacher of the Year
     http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentaries/204381561.html

Computer System Crash Ends Oklahoma Statewide Testing
     http://www.tulsaworld.com/article.aspx/Server_crashes_end_school_testing_across_Oklahoma/20130430_19_A1_School757280

Indiana Testing Delayed After Computer Network "Glitch"
     http://indianapublicmedia.org/news/istep-testing-resumes-statwide-glitch-48733/

Utah Ed. "Reform" Replicates Failed National Process
     http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765627821/Eduction-Task-Force-all-too-familiar.html

How Testing Undermined a School for the Deaf in Rhode Island
     http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/living-in-dialogue/2013/04/sheila_resseger_testing_destro.html

Testing Requirements for Students with Profound Disabilities May Change
     http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/os-scott-maxwell-fcat-testing-disabled-20130423,0,919808.column

Test Prep Takes School Counselors Away From Job They Love
     http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130429/ARTICLES/130429546

Try Better Ways to Evaluate Teachers
     http://www.tallahassee.com/article/20130429/opinion05/304290007/rosanne-wood-try-better-ways-grade-teachers

Bringing Creativity to Public Schools: Standing Up for Students and Teachers
     http://news.yahoo.com/bringing-creativity-public-education-standing-behind-children-teachers-181400444.html

English Teachers Position Paper on Computerized Essay Grading
     http://www.ncte.org/positions/statements/machine_scoring

Three Decades of Lies About U.S. Education -- "A Nation at Risk" at 30
     http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/op_education/2013/04/three_decades_of_lies.html

No Rich Child Left Behind
     http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/27/no-rich-child-left-behind/?smid=tw-NYTOpinionator&seid=auto

Have Standardized Tests Really Helped Kids Learn More?
    http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/04/30/have-standardized-tests-really-helped-kids-learn-more/

What Do the Tests Really Test?
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alan-singer/what-do-the-tests-test_b_3177684.html

These Tests Are Designed to Fail
    http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/katrina-vanden-heuvel-stakes-on-standardized-testing-are-too-high/2013/04/29/16e9e9d8-b0d5-11e2-bbf2-a6f9e9d79e19_story.html

Obama's Big Second Term Education Problem
    http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/04/28/obamas-big-second-term-education-problem/

The Teachers We Most Remember -- Excellence Can't Be Measured by Value-Added Testing
    http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/walt_gardners_reality_check/2013/04/the_teachers_we_remember.html

Leading Educators Call For New Reform Direction: Close Learning Opportunity Gap
    http://nepc.colorado.edu/newsletter/2013/04/leading-educators-call-new-direction-education-reform-focused-opportunity-gap