Testing Resistance & Reform News: Sept. 25 - October 2, 2013

The U.S. government may be largely shut down but federally mandated testing overkill continues throughout the country.  Interesting to note that opposition to high-stakes standardized exams is one issue on which elements of the "left," "right," and "center" increasingly find common ground.

Thanks to all who contributed in response to FairTest's fiscal-year-end solicitation. Others can still donate at:   http://tinyurl.com/TestingResistance

Flawed Exams Support Phony School Accountability -- FairTest op ed in Atlanta Journal-Constitution
http://www.ajc.com/weblogs/get-schooled/2013/sep/26/flawed-exams-support...

Florida Lawmaker Proposes Testing Moratorium
http://www.thefloridacurrent.com/article.cfm?id=34630350

School Board Endorses Anti-High-Stakes-Testing Resolution
http://www.northshoreoflongisland.com/Articles-News-i-2013-09-26-97284.1...

Sign the Resolution
http://fairtest.org/national-resolution-highstakes-testing

Texas Abandons Bush's "No Child" Fantasy But Promises 100% Proficiency By 2019-2020
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/30/bush-education-law-texas_n_4018...

Tests Failing, Not Students
http://www.lohud.com/article/20130927/NEWS/309270080/Critics-Test-scores...

Endless Rounds of Standardized Testing Don't Improve Education
http://seattletimes.com/html/opinion/2021934963_trishmillinesdzikoopedsc...

Testing Obsession is Killing Many Schools
http://educationopportunitynetwork.org/test-obsession-is-killing-education/

Common Core Dilemma: Will the Littlest Learners Be Able to Type Tests
http://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2013/09/a_common_core_dilemma_wi...

Don't Gag Parents Who Review Common Core Test Questions
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/56941666-78/committee-parents-utah-que...

Read and Use FairTest's Common Core Myths and Realities Fact Sheet
http://fairtest.org/common-core-assessments-factsheet

Four Decades of Failed School "Reform"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/four-decades-of-failed-school-ref...

Bill Gates: "It Would Be Great if Our Education Stuff Worked, But . . . "
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/09/27/bill-gate...

Arne Duncan Criticizes "Armchair Pundits" (Who Actually Know What They Are Talking About)
http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/living-in-dialogue/2013/10/arne_duncan_...

"Education Spring Is Here to Stay"
http://www.alternet.org/education/education-spring-here-stay

The Dangers of Computerized Essay Grading
http://www.salon.com/2013/09/30/computer_grading_will_destroy_our_schools/

Unless Teachers Write and Score the Tests, Education Won't Improve
http://www.newrepublic.com/article/114874/diane-ravitch-we-need-more-tea...

A Student Says "No" to More Standardized Testing
http://chronicle.com/blogs/conversation/2013/09/30/a-student-says-no-to-...

New Book Honors Life and Work of Asa Hilliard, former FairTest Board member
http://www.ipgbook.com/asa-products-9781934155769.php

High-Stakes Testing Supports "Rigged Game" -- from poetry slam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bo3KFUzyMUI&noredirect=1

Jonathan Kozol Reviews Diane Ravitch's New Book
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/29/books/review/reign-of-error-by-diane-r...

Interview with Dr. Ravitch
http://www.educationviews.org/interview-diane-ravitch-reign-terror-reign...