Testing Resistance & Reform News: August 3 - 9, 2016

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