Testing Resistance & Reform News: April 19 -25, 2017

With stories from 20 states, this week’s news clips demonstrate the breadth and depth of the grassroots assessment reform movement. Effective advocacy by parents, students, educators and community leaders across the nation is pressuring more and more policy makers to cut back testing overuse and misuse, creating space for better systems of assessment.

NationalLong Judged Only By Test Scores, Schools May Be Rated on Other Factors
https://www.washingtonpost.com/long-rated-by-test-scores-schools-may-soon-be-judged-on-student-abenteeism-too/2017/04/18/c5d85922-2082-11e7-be2a-3a1fb24d4671_story.html

CaliforniaMassive Power Failure Disrupts School Testing
http://www.sfexaminer.com/massive-power-outage-impacts-sf-schools-state-testing/

DelawareEducation Students Stressed by Cost of Required Exams
http://udreview.com/19078-2/

FloridaTime to Advance Testing Reform Legislation
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/opinion/fl-editorial-florida-standardized-testing-20170424-story.html

Florida Legislators to Negotiate Scope of Assessment Changes
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article146382859.html

Florida Using NAEP “Proficiency” for Accountability Would Set Children Up for Failure
https://truthinamericaneducation.com/education-at-state-level/using-naep-proficiency-accountability-sets-florida-students-up-for-failure/

GeorgiaStatewide Internet Outage Disrupts Testing
http://www.ajc.com/news/local-education/statewide-internet-outage-disrupts-delays-georgia-milestones-tests/U48hiQ9SviZ1rvFBw1cJxK/

Georgia Students Opt Out of Milestone Exams
http://www.ajc.com/news/local-education/seventy-five-gwinnett-county-students-opt-out-georgia-milestones/h6lgTMwTvRs6BG5298JysM/

IllinoisStudents, Parents Rally for Teacher Facing Firing for Encouraging Opt Outs
https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20170419/little-village/sarah-chambers-special-education-saucedo-scholastic-academy

IndianaBill to Replace Controversial ISTEP Exam Sent to Governor
http://wmot.org/post/legislation-end-istep-sent-governor#stream/0

Indiana New Test Will Be No Better Than Previous Ones
https://duboiscountyherald.com/b/jaspers-hitchcock-says-ilearn-misses-the-mark

KansasRenewal of State Assessment Contract Tabled After Widespread Computer Testing Problems
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/kansas/articles/2017-04-19/renewal-of-student-testing-contract-tabled-after-problems

LouisianaState Ponders New Ways to Evaluate Public Schools
http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/education/article_4dabcfbe-28f8-11e7-af23-bfc186fac2df.html

MarylandEducator Action Spurs Passage of Assessment Reforms in ESSA Implementation Law
http://www.aft.org/news/union-action-promotes-strong-essa-tied-laws-maryland

MichiganBill Would Allow Districts to Opt Out of Standardized Tests
https://michiganpeninsulanews.com/news/3906-rep-reilly-introduces-bill-allow-schools-opt-standardized-tests/

New JerseyState Senate Leaders Say Use of PARCC as Grad Requirement Violates Legislative Intent
http://www.politico.com/states/new-jersey/story/2017/04/21/sweeney-ruiz-say-use-of-parcc-as-exit-exam-violates-legislative-intent-111447

New Jersey How Grassroots Pressure Made a Difference in Testing Policy
http://mothercrusader.blogspot.com/2017/04/yesterday-i-went-on-road-trip-with-my.html

New Jersey PARCC Refusals and Districts That Do the Right Thing
http://elfasd.blogspot.com/2017/04/parcc-refusals-and-doing-right-thing.html

North DakotaGovernor Signs Test Opt-Out Bill Into Law
http://www.legis.nd.gov/assembly/65-2017/documents/17-0879-06000.pdf

OhioCut the School Testing Budget
http://www.athensmessenger.com/blogs/guest_columnists/cut-the-education-budget-for-testing/article_c2a3b5a8-134d-5f39-a3ae-2ffab1012142.html

PennsylvaniaParent Group Encourages Test Opt Outs
http://www.berksmontnews.com/general-news/20170418/kutztown-parents-opt-out-group-encourages-opting-out-of-pssas-keystones

Pennsylvania Testing Obsession Extends to Tee-Shirts
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/K-12_Contrarian/2017/04/the_testing_obsessions_are_getting_a_little_weird.html

South CarolinaThe Spring Testing Obsession
https://deutsch29.wordpress.com/2017/04/19/james-kirylo-that-time-of-year-spring-and-testing/

TennesseeCounty Leaders Take on Testing Madness
http://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/columnists/david-waters/2017/04/25/david-waters-county-leaders-take-testing-madness/100838318/

TexasAuthor Explains Bill to Force Transparency About Testing Costs
https://dianeravitch.net/2017/04/19/author-of-texas-bill-to-promote-transparency-in-true-costs-of-testing-speaks-out/

Texas Senate to Take Up Bill Easing Graduation Exam Requirement
http://www.mystatesman.com/news/state–regional-govt–politics/bill-that-permanently-eases-staar-requirements-moves-senate/IbeBCOBDtn25mdtYWAgU5H/

Texas Testing Resistance Creates Space for New Ethnic Studies Course Led by FairTest Board Member
http://texasedequity.blogspot.com/2017/04/these-ethnic-studies-courses-are-great.html

UtahLet Teachers Teach
http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/5191516-155/letter-let-the-teachers-teach

VirginiaOvercoming the Folly of High-Stakes Testing
http://www.heraldcourier.com/news/overcoming-the-folly-of-high-stakes-testing/article_6cd57863-1c10-535a-8aca-a993c159a0a0.html

WisconsinESSA Compliance Plan Drafting Under Intense Scrutiny
http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/education/local_schools/wisconsin-prepares-education-plan-under-lawsuit-threat/article_2830f25a-3afc-5585-a3fa-37f8383a364e.html

InternationalWe Can’t Allow Australian Schools to Become Testing Factories
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/rendezview/we-cant-allow-schools-to-become-testing-factories/news-story/98c00a07fa2414117e9b2e1b976a2b38

Worth ReadingWhy Families Should Opt Out of Standardized Testing
https://dianeravitch.net/2017/04/24/why-students-should-opt-out-of-state-testing/

Worth Reading 34 Problems With Standardized Exams
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2017/04/19/34-problems-with-standardized-tests/

Worth Reading What Do Teachers Quit? Testing Overkill Is Major Reason
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/teacherbeat/2017/04/why_do_teachers_quit_their_res.html

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