Testing Resistance & Reform News: December 12 -19, 2017

Alabama Public Thinks There's Much More to School Quality Than State's Test-Based Letter Grades
http://www.andalusiastarnews.com/2017/12/13/poll-public-has-different-ideas-about-education/

Georgia Education Association Seeks Testing Cutback
https://thebrunswicknews.com/news/local_news/school-funding-testing-reductions-among-georgia-association-of-educators-priorities/article_e89d70c9-4c67-511e-81d4-cfdaf35738e2.html
Georgia Ten Years After Atlanta Cheating Scandal, Efforts to Help Students Fall Short
https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2017/12/19/atlantas-efforts-to-help-students-impacted-by.html

Illinois Increased Pressure on Students Leads to Test Anxiety
http://foxillinois.com/news/local/increased-pressures-for-high-school-students-leads-to-test-anxiety-12-18-2017

Louisiana Charter School Shut Down for Widespread Test Cheating
http://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/education/2017/12/14/cheating-caused-tallulah-charter-closure/950795001/

New Jersey Governor-Elect Promises to Overhaul Testing Requirements
http://www.northjersey.com/story/news/2017/12/14/phil-murphy-education-funding/923802001/

New Mexico Bias in VAM Measures of Teacher Effectiveness
http://nepc.colorado.edu/blog/bias-vams

New York Parents Applaud Decision to Allow Diplomas Without Testing for Special Ed Students
http://www.nysape.org/nysape-mpda-pr-diploma-expansion.html

Ohio School Board Calls for More Testing Cutbacks
http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2017/12/tests_should_be_cut_further_state_school_board_tells_ohio_legislature.html

Oregon Culture of Testing Hurts Students
http://democratherald.com/opinion/letters/op-ed-culture-of-testing-harmful-to-students/article_84a41f39-8c90-5c26-a3b6-65ff01c36e0f.html
Oregon FairTest's Monty Neill Speaks on "Beyond Opt Out'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SkJyN2y4us

Pennsylvania Factors Other Than Test Score "Snapshots" Key to Student Learning
http://www.sungazette.com/opinion/editorials/2017/12/beyond-test-snapshot-other-factors-key-to-local-student-learning/

Tennessee Educators, Lawmakers Frustrated with State Exam Problems
http://www.wsmv.com/story/37052997/educators-lawmakers-want-fixes-to-tnready-test
Tennessee Investigation Planned of ACT Score Cancellation
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2017/12/13/tennessee-to-investigate-act-inc-after-controversy-over-student-test-scores/

Texas Some Testing Requirements Waived for Hurricane Impacted Students
https://www.texastribune.org/2017/12/14/texas-education-agency-waives-some-testing-requirements-harvey-affecte/
Texas Districts Piloting Local Accountability Systems
http://www.wacotrib.com/news/education/waco-isd-to-test-local-accountability-system-with-tea-for/article_8d90ae6b-ef0b-5823-be77-fa4a6187c664.html

Virginia Changing Assessment Standards
http://www.dailypress.com/news/opinion/dp-edt-public-education-1213-story.html
Virginia Standardized Tests Are Poor Way to Measure Student Success
http://www.vagazette.com/opinion/va-vg-edit-pacheco-1216-story.html

International New Zealand Government Drops Controversial Standards and Tests
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/346011/national-standards-ditched-by-government
International Australia Bans Computer Grading of Student Essays
http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/a-direct-attack-on-teaching-nsw-rules-out-naplan-robo-marking-20171207-h00jle.html 

Worth Reading What Real School Reform Looks Like: An Interview with FairTest Board Member Deborah Meier
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2017/12/14/heres-a-model-for-major-school-reform-that-looks-vastly-different-from-betsy-devoss-vision 
Worth Reading Moving Beyond the Failure of Test-Based Accountability
https://www.aft.org/ae/winter2017-2018/koretz