How much more evidence do some policy-makers and their big-money donors need before they admit that high-stakes testing driven education “reform” is a failure? This week’s news clips provide more ammunition for activists fighting to replace standardized exam overkill with assessments that help improve learning and teaching — as you will see, meaningful victories are increasingly common.
National Mismatch Between New Science Tests and Many States’ Science Requirements
https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2019/04/17/mismatch-seen-between-new-science-tests-and.html
Arizona Feds Insist All Schools Use Same Test
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/news/feds-insist-schools-including-chandler-use-azmerit-test/article_c688f122-5fa7-11e9-a8f8-833bb8ef45f8.html
Arizona State Revised School Grading System in Face of U.S. Ed. Dept. Threats
https://tucson.com/news/local/arizona-unveils-temporary-plan-for-grading-schools-that-ditched-azmerit/article_eed2da2d-95ef-5feb-9534-88663ed50aa7.html
Colorado Bill Would Reduce Emphasis on Student Exam Results in Teacher Evaluation
https://chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2019/04/17/colorado-teacher-evaluation-changes/
Florida District Cancels Final Exams Due to Computer System Failures
https://www.staugustine.com/news/20190418/school-district-cancels-final-exams-due-to-computer-system-failures
Georgia The Untold Story of the Atlanta Test-Cheating Scandal
https://therealnews.com/stories/the-untold-story-of-the-nations-biggest-school-cheating-scandal-1-3
Maine Inside the Failed Rollout of Proficiency-Based Learning
https://hechingerreport.org/inside-maines-disastrous-roll-out-of-proficiency-based-learning/
Michigan Teachers Seek to Replace Test-Based Evaluations
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/2019/04/17/opinion-educators-rate-evaluation-ineffective/3475721002/
Michigan Why the Tests Are Kept Secret
http://teacherhabits.com/tests-kept-secret/
Mississippi Despite Concerns, State Raises High-Stakes Test Bar for Promotion From Third Grade
https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2019/04/20/third-graders-reading-gate-test-standards-raised-more-expected-to-flunk-mississippi/3528294002/
New Jersey Sample Notice of State Test Refusal
https://www.facebook.com/SaveOurSchoolsNJ/photos/a.220620957971072/2397589393607540/
New Mexico State Scraps A to F Test-Driven School Grades
http://neatoday.org/2019/04/16/new-mexico-repeals-school-grading-system/
New York State Testing Debacle May Foreshadow National Trend
https://progressive.org/public-school-shakedown/testing-debacle-in-new-york-national-trend-jacobs-190417/
New York Billionaire Joins Fight to Block Reforms of Exam-Dependent Selective High School Admissions
https://nypost.com/2019/04/22/billionaire-joins-push-to-stop-de-blasios-high-school-admissions-test-plan/
Oregon Save Money, Gain Learning Time by Dumping Smarter Balanced Tests
http://www.oregonsaveourschools.org/2019/04/save-money-gain-time-dump-sbac.html
Pennsylvania Schools That Hinder Opt-Outs Violate State Law
https://gadflyonthewallblog.com/2019/04/18/schools-that-hinder-opt-outs-are-participating-in-their-own-demise/
Texas Bipartisan Bill Would End Test-Passing Requirement for Grade Promotion
https://www.kvue.com/article/news/politics/texas-legislature/bill-would-nix-staar-test-passing-requirement-for-texas-students-to-move-to-next-grade/269-2ee4f92d-eb9f-4ed5-b834-8d33115ff1fb
Virginia One-Size Testing Does Not Fit All
https://www.fredericksburg.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-one-size-testing-doesn-t-fit-all/article_d5da7630-cf9a-5dd0-8013-2316f6fdeeb7.html
Washington Updated Guidance on Refusing State Tests
https://www.washingtonea.org/essa/testing/opting-out-standardized-testing/
International What’s the Point of PISA Test Ranking Hysteria?
https://www.tes.com/news/it-ridiculous-pisa-now-making-teachers-anxious
University Admission More Schools Drop ACT, SAT, GRE
https://www.insidehighered.com/admissions/article/2019/04/22/three-more-colleges-go-test-optional-recent-weeks
University Admission Simpson College Goes Test Optional
https://thesimpsonian.com/29230/news/college-to-take-holistic-approach-in-admitting-future-students/
University Admissions Alma College to Begin ACT/SAT-Free Admissions
https://www.alma.edu/live/news/2074-alma-college-to-begin-test-optional-admissions
Worth Reading What Teachers Think About Standardized Testing
https://www.romper.com/p/what-teachers-think-about-standardized-testing-says-a-lot-about-their-actual-work-in-the-classroom-17018323
Worth Watching Performance Assessment Webinar with FairTest Board Members Deb Meier and Ann Cook
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wbdnn22_NPc&feature=youtu.be
Bob Schaeffer, Public Education Director
FairTest: National Center for Fair & Open Testing
office- (239) 395-6773 mobile- (239) 699-0468
web- http://www.fairtest.org