Author: FairTest

UPDATED SEPTEMBER 2017 Across the nation, resistance to test overuse and misuse reached unprecedented levels in spring 2015. The rapidly growing movement built on significant test opposition unleashed in 2013-14. The resistance to standardized exam overkill erupted in more states with far more participants, and it won notable victories. The first wave of “wins” included: […]

The Testing Resistance and Reform Movement, based on interviews with dozens of activists, provides insights on how they built rapidly growing, successful campaigns. See: The Testing Resistance and Reform Movement – Full Report The Testing Resistance and Reform Movement – Executive Summary See also this Answer Sheet blog:The rise of the anti-standardized testing movement: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/10/30/the-rise-of-the-anti-standardized-testing-movement/ […]

Time for a Real Testing Moratorium Resistance to the overuse and misuse of standardized tests is expanding rapidly across the nation (Guisbond, 2014). The movement’s goals are to roll back testing overkill, eliminate damaging high stakes, and create an assessment system that supports teaching and learning while providing useful information to parents, communities and states. […]

for further information: Bob Schaeffer (239) 395-6773cell (239) 699-046 for immediate release Wednesday, October 7, 2014 SAT SCORE TREND REMAINS FLAT;TEST-FIXATED SCHOOL POLICIES HAVE NOT IMPROVED COLLEGE READINESSEVEN AS MEASURED BY OTHER STANDARDIZED EXAMS SAT results for the nation’s high school seniors continue to stagnate according to data released today by the test’s sponsor, the […]

for further information: Bob Schaeffer (239) 395-6773 cell: (239) 699-0468 for immediate release, Thursday, October 2, 2014 WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN NEXT WEEK’S SAT SCORE REPORT Average SAT scores for students who graduated in the high school class of 2014 are scheduled for public release next Tuesday, October 7 at 3:00 am EDT. The […]

The new federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) does not require states to have educator evaluation systems. If a state chooses to do so, it does not have to include student test scores. To win federal Race to the Top grants or waivers from No Child Left Behind (NCLB), most states adopted teacher and principal […]

CONFIRMED CASES OF TEST-CHEATING (2009 – 2015) In the past five years cheating cases have been documented in 40 states plus the District of Columbia and U.S. Department of Defense schools, according to government and news media reports compiled by the National Center for Fair & Open Testing (FairTest). Jurisdictions with schools whose unlikely score […]

for further information:Dr. Monty Neill (617) 477-9792or Bob Schaeffer (239) 395-6773 for immediate release Monday, September 8, 2014 NEW REPORT: “TESTING REFORM VICTORIES: THE FIRST WAVE,”“ENOUGH IS ENOUGH” MOVEMENT MARKS MAJOR GAINSROLLING BACK STANDARDIZED EXAM MISUSE AND OVERUSE The rapidly accelerating testing resistance and reform movement has made significant progress to reduce standardized exam “overkill” […]

for further information:Bob Schaeffer (239) 395-6773 or cell (239) 699-0468 for immediate release Tuesday, September 2, 2014 STATEMENT OF ROBERT A. SCHAEFFER, PUBLIC EDUCATION DIRECTORNATIONAL CENTER FOR FAIR & OPEN TESTING (FAIRTEST)BEFORE THE LEE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD Like many other Lee County residents, I am very disappointed with this meeting’s unnecessarily rushed timing, which made […]

for further information:Bob Schaeffer (239) 395-6773 for immediate release Thursday, August 28, 2014 LARGE FLORIDA SCHOOL DISTRICT IS NATION’S FIRSTTO VOTE TO “OPT OUT” OF STANDARDIZED EXAM MANDATES:FAIRTEST STAFFER TESTIFIED AT LEE COUNTY BOARD MEETING Lee County, Florida, home to 87,000 students, yesterday became the first public school district in the country to “opt out” […]