Testing Resistance & Reform News: November 30 - December 7, 2016
Assessment reform activists are taking advantage of opportunities under the new federal education law to push back against testing overkill with a range of proposals from auditing local standardized exam requirements to overhauling statewide school evaluation policies. To ensure that we have the capacity to support winning grassroots campaigns, please include FairTest in your year-end giving plans -- contribute today at https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/fairtest or mail your check to P.O. Box 300204, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 -- your gift is tax-deductible. Thank you!
National New Poll Finds Strong Majority of Voters Oppose Closing Schools Based on Test Scores
http://military-technologies.net/2016/11/30/new-national-education-poll-voters-overwhelmingly-oppose-closing-schools-based-on-high-stakes-standardized-testing/
Alaska State Picks Old Company for New Tests
http://juneauempire.com/state/2016-12-02/state-picks-old-company-new-tests
Arizona Educators Optimistic After Seeing Final Federal ESSA Accountability Rules
http://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2016/11/30/educators-optimistic-after-seeing-final-federal-rules-on-school-success/
California State Seeks End to Double-Testing in Science
https://edsource.org/2016/california-appeals-to-federal-officials-to-administer-one-statewide-science-test-not-two/573545
Connecticut New Haven Schools Promoting Performance Assessment
http://wnpr.org/post/new-haven-among-school-districts-promoting-performance-based-tests
District of Columbia How DC Could Become a National Model for School Turnarounds Under ESSA
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gary-m-ratner/how-dc-could-become-natio_b_12513950.html
Florida Key State Senators Back Testing Reduction
http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/key-senators-to-push-for-less-testing-more-support-for-public-schools-in/2304829
Florida District Continues to Prune Testing Requirements
http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/gradebook/testing-relief-for-high-schoolers-in-hillsborough/2305154
Georgia High-Stakes Testing Is Ruining Public Education
http://onlineathens.com/opinion/2016-12-03/huckaby-high-stakes-testing-ruining-public-education#
Georgia Real "Cheating" Scandal Is Intense Focus on Test Scores
http://getschooled.blog.myajc.com/2016/11/30/opinion-we-cheat-more-than-aps-students-when-we-rely-on-tests-to-define-achievement/
Indiana Once Again, New Test Development Will Be Rushed
http://wboi.org/post/once-again-indiana-plans-launch-new-assessment-year
Massachusetts Looking Beyond Test Scores to Evaluate Schools
http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/12/05/massachusetts-look-beyond-test-scores-judging-schools/KpgxHsgwpzMTgVXtFKGLdP/story.html
Michigan State Working on New School Accountability System
http://www.lenconnect.com/news/20161130/michigan-working-on-new-school-accountability-system
New Jersey School Officials Question New Grad Exam Requirements
http://www.newarkadvocate.com/story/news/local/pataskala/2016/11/30/school-officials-question-new-graduation-requirements/94032662/
New Mexico Time to Question Over-Reliance on Testing
http://www.rrobserver.com/opinion/columns/article_ed361068-b8ea-11e6-b143-bba96505d1e7.html
New York Parents and Educators Deserve Answers to Testing Concerns
http://wamc.org/post/karen-magee-parents-educators-deserve-answers-testing
New York "Confronting Oppressive Assessments" New Book Battles Standardized Testing
http://www.niagara-gazette.com/news/local_news/educators-new-book-battles-standardized-testing/article_ca0cbfcc-1652-5a97-99f2-c6ba01ff8a05.html
Pennsylvania Student Success Should Be Measured in Many Ways
http://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/opinion/editorials/2016/12/04/editorial-students-success-measured-many-ways/94813130/
Tennessee Nashville Schools Seek Waiver From Using Test Scores for Student and Teacher Evaluations
http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/education/2016/11/29/nashville-schools-seek-one-year-waiver-using-tests-evaluations/93797532/
Tennessee Local Board of Ed Passes Resolution Opposing School Grading Scheme
http://www.greenevillesun.com/news/local_news/city-boe-opposeses-letter-grades-for-schools/article_30a4e98f-a691-5caf-804f-667e82796392.html
Texas "Coding Error" by Testing Vendor Led to Miscalculated School Grades
http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/West-Orange-Stark-High-School-wins-TEA-appeal-10641962.php
Texas Educators Wary of "A to F" School Grades
http://www.athensreview.com/news/school-officials-wary-of-a-f-rating-system/article_ab9eaee8-b8e1-11e6-89bb-9f178e88ae93.html
Wisconsin Too Much Testing? Teachers Press for Audit
http://journaltimes.com/news/local/too-much-testing/article_d8fd18fc-6651-5135-b1a6-00060f9329bf.html
International TIMMS Lessons for the U.S.
http://zhaolearning.com/2016/11/30/stop-copying-others-timss-lessons-for-america/
Worth Reading Polling Infographic Shows Strong Opposition to Test-Driven School Closures
http://www.publicschooloptions.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/National-Survey-PSO-OL-8.pdf
Worth Watching Bursting the Bubbles: Is There a Link Between Standardized Tests and Improved Learning -- Sign Up Today
http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/6041/p/salsa/web/common/public/signup?signup_page_KEY=7286
More than 1050 four-year colleges and universities do not use the SAT or ACT to admit substantial numbers of bachelor-degree applicants.