Testing Resistance & Reform News: August 3 - 9, 2016
FairTest hopes that these news summaries, which now go to several thousand activists, educators and policymakers each week, provide useful material for your assessment reform work. Please remember that you can support FairTest projects, including "Testing Resistance & Reform News" by making a contribution at: https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/fairtest -- thank you!
National New, More Flexible Era of Educational Accountability Under ESSA
http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-08-02/the-new-era-of-education-accountability
California Top State Education Officials Criticize Draft Federal Testing Regulations
https://edsource.org/2016/top-state-education-officials-detail-objections-to-federal-regulations/567724
California Former State Superintendent Challenges "Test and Punish" Policies
https://deutsch29.wordpress.com/2016/08/06/introducing-bill-honigs-challenge-to-test-and-punish-buildingbetterschools-com/
Connecticut New Test, Same Challenging Results
http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/New-test-same-challenging-results-9098304.php
Connecticut Test-Driven Policies Ignore Evidence of What Really Works
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Wendy-Lecker-Policy-can-foster-positive-9125538.php
District of Columbia Corporate "Reformers" Spin Test Score Data
http://www.livingindialogue.com/corporate-reformers-spin-data/
Florida Disabled Girl's Mom Wins Hearing, Legal Fees Over Testing
http://www.thescoopradioshow.com/lyons-disabled-girls-mom-wins-hearing-over-testing-heraldtribune/
Florida Test-Driven System Pushes Good Teachers Out
http://fortmyers.floridaweekly.com/news/2016-08-03/Top_News/Troubled_teachers.html
Florida School Grading Is a Disservice
http://www.pnj.com/story/opinion/2016/08/04/letters-school-grading-disservice/88068840/
Georgia New Law Means Students Will Spend Less Time on Testing
http://onlineathens.com/mobile/2016-08-06/change-law-means-less-time-testing-more-time-class-georgia-students
Louisiana Impacts of New Federal Law on State Testing
http://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2016/08/new_education_law_matters.html
Missouri Test Results Delayed Again
http://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/missouri-test-scores-district-report-cards-will-be-delayed-again
Montana U.S. Senator John Tester Opposes Overly Heavy Federal Regulations
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/local/2016/08/02/tester-heavy-federal-regulation-schools/87969948/
New Jersey One Vote Makes It Harder to Graduate From High School
http://www.nj.com/education/2016/08/why_graduating_from_high_school_may_become_harder.html
New Jersey Educators Say PARCC Is Waste of Time, Resources
http://njtoday.net/2016/08/02/parcc-wastes-time-resources/
New Jersey Court Challenge Likely for PARCC Exit Exam Requirement
http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/16/08/03/court-challenge-likely-for-new-hs-graduation-requirements-tied-to-parcc-testing/
New York Assessment Reform Leaders React to 2016 Test Scores, High Opt-Out Rates
http://www.nysape.org/nysape-pr-opt-out-16-results.html
New York Ever-Changing Tests Make Year-to-Year Comparisons Impossible
http://www.chalkbeat.org/posts/ny/2016/08/03/if-state-tests-keep-changing-should-they-still-be-used-to-judge-struggling-schools/
New York Testing Reform Group Questions Scores
http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Anti-testing-group-questions-New-York-state-scores-9125693.php
Pennsylvania Local Board Toys with Ignoring Standardized Tests
http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20160806/pottstown-board-toys-with-ignoring-standardized-tests
Tennessee Student Testing Time Reduced by 30%
http://www.elkvalleytimes.com/student-testing-time-reduced-by-30-percent/
Texas Educators Wary of School Ratings After Testing Disasters
http://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/community/northeast-tarrant/article94254042.html
Vermont State School Board Criticizes ESSA Assumptions in Response to Draft Regulations
http://www.schoolsmatter.info/2016/08/essa-vermont-state-board-of-ed-letter.html
ACT/SAT Lasell College Adopts Test-Optional Admission
http://patch.com/massachusetts/newton/lasell-forgo-testing-requirements-admission
ACT/SAT List of Schools That Do Not Require ACT/SAT Scores From All or Many Applicants
http://fairtest.org/university/optional
Worth Reading Should Learning Games Be Used as Assessment Tools
https://gcn.com/articles/2016/08/02/games-standardized-testing.aspx
Worth Reading To Teach a Child to Read, First Provide Eye Glasses
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/07/opinion/sunday/to-teach-a-child-to-read-first-give-him-glasses.html
1,685+ Accredited, 4-Year Colleges & Universities with ACT/SAT-Optional Testing Policies for Fall, 2021 Admissions