Pressure from grassroots activists and a bipartisan group of policymakers has forced President Trump and Education Secretary DeVos to allow states to suspend federal standardized exam requirements in the wake of the coronavirus. To protect public school children, educators and their families, state leaders must now be pressed to: 1) Apply immediately for waivers of federal assessment mandates by filing a formal request with the U.S. Department of Education to be relieved of Every Student Succeeds Act testing obligations; AND
Pressure from grassroots activists and a bipartisan group of policymakers has forced President Trump and Education Secretary DeVos to allow states to suspend federal standardized exam requirements in the wake of the coronavirus. But to completely eliminate Spring 2020 testing, state leaders must 1) file formal requests with the U.S. Department of Education to be relieved of Every Student Succeeds Act testing mandates for this year, and 2) lift all requirements for state-required testing by legislative action to amend state laws or by executive order
FairTest is part of a new Massachusetts coalition with a simple message: It's time for Governor Charlie Baker and the state legislature to make it their number one priority to reinvest $1.5 billion a year in public education, from pre-K through college, with the funding increase not attached to any additional testing.
Our public education system is a key part of what makes Massachusetts a great place to live and work. But testing overkill, combined with austerity school funding, has undermined our schools and our quality of life.
The National Grange has passed a strongly worded resolution against high stakes testing. It calls on the “U.S. Congress and administration to overhaul the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (currently known as the "Every Child Succeeds Act''), reduce the testing mandates, promote multiple forms of evidence of student learning and school quality in accountability, and not mandate any fixed role for the use of student test scores in evaluating educators.” Test-focused education has caused much harm in rural as well as urban and suburban schools.
FairTest worked with the National Coalition of Urban Education Associations (NCUEA) Time on Learning Committee to develop a survey that teacher unions can use with their members to expose the consequences of high-stakes testing. It can be adapted for use by parent, student and community groups.