Testing Resistance & Reform News: December 12 -19, 2017
Seasons Greetings to assessment reformers across the U.S. (and around the world)! FairTest's holiday "gift" to you is news demonstrating another week of progress in replacing standardized exam overkill with better systems of assessment.
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
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