The record of victories earned by testing reformers in 2019 continues to expand — both posting concrete meaningful policy wins and building public opinion against high-stakes standardized exams. Please help give our movement the clout need to make even more progress in 2020 by contributing to FairTest here:
National Assessments of Educational Paralysis Reflect Decades of Test-Centric School “Reform”
https://themerrowreport.com/2019/12/05/the-national-assessment-of-educational-paralysis-naep/
California Districts Experiment with New Measures of Student Academic Progress
https://edsource.org/2019/how-california-measures-academic-success-is-changing-at-some-of-the-states-largest-districts/620361
Colorado Schools Navigate Around Potential Graduation Test Dead End
https://arvadapress.com/stories/jeffco-avoids-potential-dead-ends-of-new-state-grad-requirements,290671
Colorado Standardized Testing System is Outdated
https://www.wahpetondailynews.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/standardized-testing-system-is-outdated/article_fd4c7090-1847-11ea-b2d7-13872d227326.html
Florida Students Urge Lawmakers to Relax Testing Rules for English Language Learners
https://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2019/12/09/politics-101-tampa-area-high-schoolers-urge-lawmakers-to-ease-up-on-english-testing/
Georgia Stop Holding Teachers Accountable for Things They Cannot Control
https://www.ajc.com/blog/get-schooled/low-pay-underfunded-schools-and-unrealistic-expectations-make-teaching-tough-sell/bqZ6AfnxUihFkViZp5STMM/
Kentucky District Uses Unconventional Process to Identify More Students as Gifted
https://www.educationdive.com/news/kentucky-district-adopts-unconventional-process-to-fish-for-gifted-students/568317/
Maryland School Ratings Pay Less Attention to Test Scores
https://www.baltimoresun.com/education/bs-md-school-ratings-folo-20191206-d7hq5etbhje3pcytpfxfkgckde-story.html
Massachusetts New School Funding Law Stresses Equality of Opportunity Not Punitive “Accountability”
https://patch.com/massachusetts/winchester/op-ed-sen-lewis-talks-successful-school-funding-reform
Mississippi Retaining Many More Students May Have Boosted NAEP Scores
https://fordhaminstitute.org/national/commentary/mississippi-rising-partial-explanation-its-naep-improvement-it-holds-students
Mississippi Standardized Testing Anxiety
https://www.djournal.com/opinion/angela-farmer-standardized-testing-anxiety/article_e75b938d-96e9-5157-9b22-e6052c056467.html
North Carolina My Child Is More Than a Score
https://www.wral.com/amanda-lamb-more-than-a-score/18819700/
North Carolina Ruling Cites Favoritism in State Testing Contract Award
https://www.wral.com/ruling-questions-istation-selection-process-but-you-may-still-find-the-tool-in-nc-classrooms-for-now/18822782/
Oklahoma Superintendents Cite Flaws in State’s School Report Cards
https://www.stwnewspress.com/news/moving-target-state-report-cards-need-improvement-local-superintendents-say/article_6da74f81-7402-5372-b5b0-50d57d88226b.html
University Admission Lawsuit Says Use of ACT/SAT by University of California is Illegal
https://www.npr.org/2019/12/10/786257347/lawsuit-claims-sat-and-act-are-illegal-in-california-admissions
University Admissions Test Scores No Longer Required for Admission at Washington Colleges
https://crosscut.com/2019/12/sats-no-longer-required-admission-some-washington-colleges
University Admissions More Colleges and Universities Adopt Test-Optional Policies
https://www.tspr.org/post/colleges-universities-adopting-test-optional-policies
University Admission Indiana University Could Become Next Flagship to Drop ACT/SAT Requirement
https://www.nwitimes.com/news/education/iu-could-be-among-the-next-universities-to-go-test/article_67d295ba-3674-5163-bee5-e728386f30ea.html
Worth Reading Rankings of “Smartest” States is Nonsense
https://www.theepochtimes.com/california-barely-above-average-among-smartest-states-but-is-the-data-accurate_3164835.html
Worth Reading Online Ratings Make Good Schools Look Bad
https://www.vox.com/videos/2019/12/5/20991778/greatschools-ratings-schools-video-data
Worth Reading Be Skeptical of “Exciting” Test Results
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/12/06/when-exciting-education-results-are-news-be-skeptical/
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