School testing season is underway, with stories covering boycotts, opt-out campaigns, rallies and, unfortunately, scandals in hundreds of media outlets around the nation.
If you know of other activists, journalists or policy-makers who would benefit from receiving these weekly news summaries, please send me their email addresses.
Lessons from Atlanta Cheating Scandal
http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/04/07/-atlanta-school-cheating-scandal-column/2044107/
NY Parents Plan Boycott of Common Core Tests
http://www.lohud.com/article/20130409/NEWS/304090100/Parents-plan-boycott-Common-Core-tests-kids
Long Island Parents Opt Kids Out of Standardized Tests
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/04/03/l-i-parents-opting-kids-out-of-nys-standardized-tests/
Testing Parents’ Resolve
http://www.timesunion.com/opinion/article/Testing-parents-resolve-4418624.php
Kentucky School District Wants Project Based Learning to Outshine Testing
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/education/jan-june13/learning_04-03.html
Pennsylvania Parents Support Opt-Out Call
http://delcotimes.com/articles/2013/04/03/news/doc515cf3f68aed9434826079.txt?viewmode=fullstory
Why I Won’t Let My Son Take High-Stakes Standardized Tests
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/04/07/mom-why-i-wont-let-my-son-take-high-stakes-standardized-test/
Former Massachusetts Test Booster Now Says Exam Fixation Hurts Learning and Teaching
http://www.telegram.com/article/20130404/NEWS/104049899/1020
New Jersey Parents Join Growing Standardized Test Boycott
http://www.northjersey.com/franklinlakes/New_Jersey_parents_join_boycott_of_state_standardized_tests.html
North Carolina Test Foes Plan “Zombie Rally”
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/04/07/3966735/zombie-rally-set-to.html#storylink=rss
N.Y. Educator Retires Because Tests Are Replacing Creativity
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2013/04/goodbye_mr_conti_a_westhill_hi.html
School District Pushes Back Against State-Mandated Testing
http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/District-pushes-back-against-state-testing-4416602.php
Tulsa, Oklahoma, Parents Opt Children Out of Practice Tests
http://www.tulsaworld.com/article.aspx/Jenks_parents_opt_out_students_from_field_tests/20130404_19_A9_JENKSJ213450
Minnesota Needs New Student Testing System
http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentaries/201534661.html
A Future Stuck in the Pipeline: The Link Between High-Stakes Testing and Zero-Tolerance Discipline
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/sns-201304031700–tms–rkoehlerctnbk-a20130404-20130404,0,3499029.column
Revised NJ Teacher Evaluation Regulations Reduce Scores’ Weight
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2013/04/state_dept_of_education_revise.html
Bill Gates: Don’t Evaluate Teachers By Test Results Alone
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/bill-gates-a-fairer-way-to-evaluate-teachers/2013/04/03/c99fd1bc-98c2-11e2-814b-063623d80a60_story.html
“When Education Goes Wrong: Taking the Creativity and Play out of Learning”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZzFM1MHz_M
Why I Won’t Quit: A Good Teachers Letter of Resolution
http://christinemccartney.wordpress.com/2013/04/09/my-letter-of-resignation/
Reclaiming the Conversation on Education Conference: May 4 in NYC and Online
http://reclaimingconversation.blogspot.com/
United Opt-Out Campaign Tool Kit
http://unitedoptout.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/United-Opt-Out-UOO-DocumentationSept2012Final.pdf
Tennessee Moves to Link Welfare Benefits to Children’s Test Scores — a retrograde initiative in a sea of positive news
http://thegrio.com/2013/04/01/tennessee-bill-welfare-benefits-depend-on-childs-school-performance/