other

Several positive stories about resistance and assessment alternatives as well as more data about ongoing damage from the high-stakes testing fixation

Resistance to High-Stakes Testing Spreads -- District Administration Magazine Cover Story
    http://www.districtadministration.com/article/resistance-high-stakes-testing-spreads

Lots of good articles in the past week about the still growing resistance to high-stakes testing as well as better ways to assess students, educators and schools. Remember to check out FairTest fact sheets on many of these topics available free online at http://www.fairtest.org -- you will find them very helpful for your advocacy work, letter writing, etc.

California Bill to Stop Test-Based Teacher Evaluation Clears Major Hurdle

If you find these news updates helpful to your work, please consider making a donation to FairTest to support the staff time that goes into scanning dozens of sources and selecting the most relevant stories. You can make a secure donation by credit card online at:
       https://secure.entango.com/donate/MnrXjT8MQqk
or mail a check to: FairTest, P.O. Box 300204, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

Duncan Doubles Down on Failed Ed. Policy

Testing Reform Allies:

After reading this week's installment of clips, remember to take advantage of the many excellent fact sheets, some recently updated, on all facets of assessment reform available for free at http://www.fairtest.org.

So many great articles about assessment controversies, so little time to read them all.  Here's a sampling of the most significant from the past week.

AFT Urges Focus on Student Learning, Not Standardized Testing

Can't recall a summer with so much assessment reform activity -- has the public (and media) finally recognized that high-stakes testing has "jumped the shark?"

Join the Rebellion to Halt Standardized Tests -- A Model Letter-to-the-Editor Which You Can Easily Adapt and Submit

Lots of good stories from around the U.S. and across the Atlantic

Testing Overkill Earns State an "F" -- FairTest featured in Orlando Sentinel Q & A
  http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/os-ed-front-and-center-fairtest-071712-20120716,0,5604784.story

Despite heat, drought and power failures, there's still lots of interesting news from across North America

Computer Glitch Stymies Diploma Exams -- a warning from Canada
   http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/alberta/Computer+glitch+stymies+Grade+diploma+exams/6896759/story.html

Good reading about progress and challenges for Independence Day . . . and beyond

High-Stakes Testing Resistance Spreads
   http://www.thebradentontimes.com/news/2012/06/30/schools_and_education/high_stakes_testing_resistance_spreads_across_florida/

The 2011-2012 public school year has now wrapped up everywhere in the country, but journalists continue to crank out important stories about testing problems and alternatives. Still considerable action in Texas, Florida, and DC -- three places where high-stakes testing is most out of control.

Incomplete Report on DC Cheating Ignores Testing Scandals Under Michele Rhee