Testing Resistance & Reform News: November 19 - 25, 2014

Colorado State Board of Education Unanimously Endorses Testing Cutback
http://co.chalkbeat.org/2014/11/20/state-board-calls-for-testing-cutbacks/#.VG6abnvvcZw
Study Finds Colorado Testing Costs $78 Million a Year Plus Teacher Time
http://co.chalkbeat.org/2014/11/20/study-testing-costs-up-to-78-million-covers-most-of-school-year/#.VG83TXvvcZw

Jeb Bush Faces Presidential Campaign Backlash for Florida Education Policies
http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/283256251.html
Central Florida School Board Advances Resolution to Allow Parents to Exempt Children Out of Standardized Exams
http://www.ocala.com/article/20141120/ARTICLES/141129963/1001/NEWS01?p=all&tc=pgall
Orlando Florida School Board Supports Two-Year Exemption From Test-Based Teacher Evaluation
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/education/os-teacher-evaluations-test-scores-florida-20141122-story.html

Illinois Parents, Teachers Fight to Delay New State Exam
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2014/11/20/new-standardized-tests-come-under-fire/
Standardized Testing Blocks Teaching and Learning in Illinois
http://www.suntimes.com/news/otherviews/31188191-452/standardized-testing-stops-learning.html#.VG-sZXvvcZw

Massachusetts Drops Plan to Base Teacher Licenses on Student Test Scores
http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/11/15/teachers/Q2VoPPcp1AJTV8PWCeUptO/story.html
Massachusetts Should Look to New York Performance Standards Consortium Model
https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/letters/2014/11/21/look-model-for-performance-based-standards/eeISUUr0gfwR1pAqlElUHP/story.html

One-Size-Fits-All Testing Not the Answer for Missouri Schools
http://www.news-leader.com/story/opinion/contributors/2014/11/18/one-size-fits-answer-missouri-schools/19245501/

New Mexico "Take the Test" Day Shows Parents, Teachers What Today's Students Face
http://www.kob.com/article/stories/s3629005.shtml
Albuquerque, N.M., Schools Unsure They Have Capacity for New Computerized Testing
http://www.koat.com/news/temporary-labs-prepped-for-parcc-testing/29921236

Testing Fuels Anxiety in New York State Schools -- great letter to the editor
http://www.recordonline.com/article/20141119/OPINION/141119300
New York Parents Reject State's "Mandatory" Field Test Plan
http://www.lohud.com/story/opinion/contributors/2014/11/20/common-core-field-tests-mandatory-new-york-schools-lohudreacts/70018076/
New York Teachers Say Field Tests Waste Valuable Education Time
http://www.legislativegazette.com/Articles-Top-Stories-c-2014-11-24-90003.113122-Field-tests-a-waste-of-valuable-time-NYSUT.html

Ohio House Passes Bill to Cut Student Testing Time in Half
http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2014/11/ohio_house_passes_bill_to_limi.html
Time Limits on Ohio Testing Time A First Step Toward Assessment Reform
http://www.cantonrep.com/article/20141120/OPINION/141119153

Oklahoma Teachers' Refusal to Give Tests Puts Jobs at Risk
http://www.tulsaworld.com/homepage2/two-teachers-refusal-to-give-tests-puts-their-jobs-at/article_a3b1005b-09c2-555f-9a5d-39eaeb497205.html

Pennsylvania Opt-Out Movement Grows as Philadelphia City Council Holds Hearing on Testing
http://thenotebook.org/blog/147941/phillys-opt-out-movement-grows-council-holds-hearing-standardized-tests

A Path Beyond the Opt-Out Movement
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kevin-welner/a-path-beyond-the-optout-_b_6198170.html

A Generation Betrayed By Standardized Testing Obsession
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Lecker-A-generation-jeopardized-by-obsession-5894103.php

Educational "Accountability" As Disaster Bureaucracy
http://radicalscholarship.wordpress.com/2014/11/18/education-accountability-as-disaster-bureaucracy/

True Accountability: Giving All Kids a Fair Shot
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/learning_deeply/2014/11/true_accountability_giving_all_students_a_shot.html

Education Reform Lexicon for Paradigm Busters
http://www.livingindialogue.com/education-reform-lexicon-paradigm-busters/

Bob Schaeffer, Public Education Director
FairTest: National Center for Fair & Open Testing
office-   (239) 395-6773   fax-  (239) 395-6779
mobile- (239) 699-0468
web-  http://www.fairtest.org