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