Testing Resistance & Reform News: August 15 - 21, 2018

Back-to-school season is the same time when last year's state standardized exams scores are released.  Does that make sense?  Certainly not, if the purpose of assessment is to provide feedback that can help improve teaching and learning. That's increasingly the reaction of education leaders and policy makers, as this week's news clips demonstrate.

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National Student Testing Still Too Dominant as States Implement ESSA Plans
https://www.educationdive.com/news/nclb-revision-became-essa-same-thing-different-day/530227/

Arizona Superintendent Says Test Scores Do Not Measure Students' Overall Performance
http://ktar.com/story/2180752/diane-douglas-azmerit-test-not-reflective-of-students-overall-performance/

California Flawed Assessment of Reading Teachers' Skills
https://edsource.org/2018/california-gets-high-grade-in-measuring-new-teachers-reading-skills/601255

Florida State Testing Policy Widens Achievement Gap
http://www.heraldtribune.com/opinion/20180816/teacher-state-widens-achievement-gap

Kentucky State Considering Changes to Graduation Testing Requirements
http://www.weku.fm/post/state-considering-changing-graduation-requirments

Massachusetts State Senate Candidate Calls for End to Standardized Testing Mandates
https://www.gazettenet.com/Chelsea-Kline-calls-for-end-to-MCAS-testing-19568733

Mississippi School Grading System May Be Changed Again
https://mississippitoday.org/2018/08/17/mde-considers-changing-accountability-ratings-for-high-schools-again/

New Jersey Teaching, Testing and the PARCC Exam
https://www.northjersey.com/story/opinion/contributors/2018/08/18/parcc-test-teaching-testing-opinion/1018239002/

New Mexico Over-Testing Mandates Trimmed a Bit
https://www.expressnews.com/news/education/article/New-Mexico-ed-officials-announce-changes-to-state-13154887.php

New York Parents Blast Proposed Punitive Opt-Out Rules
https://www.nysape.org/nysape-essa-public-comment.html
New York Benefits of Regents Exams Still Unclear
http://www.post-journal.com/opinion/in-our-opinion/2018/08/benefits-of-regents-testing-still-unclear/
New York State Exam Score Reporting Delayed
http://www.post-journal.com/news/2018/08/results-of-state-tests-are-delayed/

Pennsylvania Use of Keystone Exams as Graduation Test Postponed Again
https://www.paprincipals.org/news/2018-08-14/Keystone_Exams_and_Project_Based_Assessments_PBA_Update?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

South Carolina Hundreds of Third Graders Held Back Based on Test Scores
https://www.postandcourier.com/news/south-carolina-holds-back-about-third-graders-who-struggle-to/article_157bc984-9b14-11e8-b29d-cfacebd24bc5.html

Tennessee Legislative Doubts Linger Over Testing Program
https://www.murfreesboropost.com/news/education/legislative-doubts-linger-over-tnready/article_b8d1452e-a03b-11e8-95fe-b77962f13bb7.html
Tennessee State Testing System Needs an Overhaul
https://www.citizentribune.com/news/editorial/tnready-is-anything-but/article_f3ed8e94-a34f-11e8-ab28-87e8a7ab1a37.html

Texas School Grades Deflect Attention From Politicians' Lack of Accountability for Education
https://www.theeagle.com/news/texas/analysis-school-districts-are-getting-report-cards-they-shouldn-t/article_db33216d-061b-5005-83ed-d35b50f3bc70.html
Texas Superintendent Calls for Measuring Schools By More Than Test Scores
http://www.crosstimbersgazette.com/2018/08/15/rogers-measure-schools-using-more-than-test-scores/

Utah Board of Ed Seeks Alternative to "A to F" School Grades
https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900028341/utahs-board-of-education-asks-for-alternatives-to-letter-grades-on-utah-schools-report-card.html
Utah State System for Grading Schools is Fatally Flawed
https://www.parkrecord.com/opinion/editorial-utahs-system-for-grading-schools-is-fatally-flawed/

Virginia Value of Tests Questions as Schools Prepare for Score Release
https://www.richmond.com/news/local/education/virginia-department-of-education-to-release-sol-test-results-wednesday/article_d665548d-0437-5bc7-aa51-3d83817f804b.html

International Scottish Parents Urged to Opt Kids Out of Early Childhood Standardized Assessments
http://www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/16419269.agenda-exercise-your-right-to-opt-out-of-p1-tests/
International Scottish Teachers Union Backs Boycott of Test for Young Children
https://www.scotsman.com/news/education/teacher-union-backs-parents-boycott-of-tests-for-p1-children-1-4786546

Worth Reading More Dumb Tests Being Marketed for Young Children
http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2018/08/still-more-testing-for-littles.html