Author: FairTest

FairTest has created a PowerPoint presentation on how to organize testing resistance and reform under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. You can view it in pdf here. We are unable to host the actual Powerpoint file on our site but if you are interested in having/modifying it please contact us at fairtest@fairtest.org and we […]

What a week! A national poll concludes that a majority of parents are critical of standardized exam overkill; more minority parents, students and educators speak out against test misuse; yet another state’s computerized testing system collapses; and the opt-out movement continues to grow in breadth and depth. No wonder more state and local education policy-makers […]

With stories from more than 20 states, this week’s news clips again demonstrate the growing reach, diversity, energy and effectiveness of the national assessment reform movement. National Test Defenders Try to “Whitewash” Opt-Out Movement to Weaken Its Clouthttp://thinkprogress.org/education/2016/04/11/3767723/forgotten-activist… Multiple States Technical Problems Plague Computerized Testinghttps://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/technical-glitches-plague…Multiple States FairTest Chronology of Computer Testing Foul-Upshttp://www.fairtest.org/computerized-testing-problems-chronology Arizona Could Giving […]

for further information: Bob Schaeffer (239) 395-6773 cell (239) 699-0468 for immediate release, Thursday, April 14, 2016 COMPUTERIZED SCHOOL EXAM PROBLEMS IN TWO-THIRDS OF STATES — TEST ADMINISTRATION CRASHED IN AT LEAST 13 OVER PAST FOUR YEARS; WIDESPREAD TECHNICAL, SECURITY PROBLEMS ADD TO FAILURE OF POLITICALLY MANDATED TESTING Last week, Alaska canceled annual standardized testing […]

Moving into the peak weeks of the 2016 standardized exam season, the assessment reform movement continues to notch more victories as test-opt outs and other forms of protest accelerate in many states. Multiple States Advocates Question Machine-Scoring of PARCC, Smarter Balanced Writing Sampleshttp://www.studentprivacymatters.org/our-letter-to-the-education-commiss…Multiple States FairTest Chronology of Computerized Testing Problems Across the U.S.https://fairtest.orgdata.com.org/computerized-testing-problems-chronology Alaska Cancels […]

Two big stories as testing season gets underway in many states — the surging opt-out movement and the collapse of many states’ computerized exam delivery systems — both demonstrating the ongoing failure of politically driven test-and-punish policies. National Why All Families Should Opt Out of High-Stakes Standardized Testshttps://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/04/03/diane-rav…National Testing Time at Schools, Is There a […]

As the standardized exam season gets underway in many states, this week’s “Testing Resistance & Reform News” includes many excellent examples of testing resistance campaign materials from across the nation. Also, be sure to check-out and use FairTest’s tools for getting involved in assessment reform — https://fairtest.orgdata.com.org/get_involved/tools National How a Grassroots Revolt Against Testing May […]

With the spring standardized exam season getting underway and the grassroots assessment reform movement ramping up pressure through opt-out campaigns and other strategies, FairTest has begun compiling a database of testing resistance activities around the nation. Check out the state-by-state list and supporting materials at: http://www.fairtest.org/testing-resistanceTo add your activities, send a message with date, location […]

In state after state, policymakers are responding to constituent concerns by re-evaluating testing mandates. The changes they initially consider are often cosmetic, such as substituting one mediocre exam for another. But escalating grassroots pressure — particularly opting out — is beginning to force legislators to focus on the real problems of standardized testing overuse and […]

Welcome! This page lists standardized test resistance, refusal and reform actions and events by state. These include opting out, public forums and meetings, rallies, news conferences, legislative action days, and more. If you have an action or event to share, let us know at fairtest@fairtest.org and we will post it here. You can use the […]