Testing Resistance & Reform News: January 27 – February 2, 2016

Mounting grassroots pressure is beginning to force state and local policy makers to take advantage of their new flexibility under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act to roll back standardized exam overuse use and misuse. FairTest’s basic goals remain unchanged: many fewer tests; no high-stakes; support for better assessments.

National Assessment Reform Movement Stands Up to New Fed Threat Against Opt Outs
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/feds-issue-reminder-test-students-ris…
National Opt-Out Movement Grows Despite Government Efforts to Kill It
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/01/31/the-testi…
National Why You Can Boycott Tests Without Fear of Federal Fund Loss Fact Sheet
http://www.fairtest.org/why-you-can-boycott-testing-without-fear
National Just Say “No” to the Test: FairTest Guide to Opting Out
http://www.fairtest.org/get-involved/opting-out

Multiple States “Valuing Public Education: A 50 State Report Card”
http://networkforpubliceducation.org/tomswisher/current_map.html

Alaska State Will Throw Out Current Test
http://peninsulaclarion.com/news/2016-01-27/amp-is-out

Alabama Thousands May Receive GED Retroactively Due to Passing Score Change
http://leadercall.com/2016/01/one-thousand-washingtonians-who-failed-ged…

Arkansas The Danger of Assigning Test-Based Grades to Public Schools
http://www.tcrecord.org/Content.asp?ContentID=18834

California State Freed From Costly After-School Tutoring Mandate
http://www.scpr.org/news/2016/02/01/57166/ca-schools-freed-from-costly-a…

Colorado New, Bipartisan Bill Would Eliminate Test-Based Teacher Evaluation
http://co.chalkbeat.org/2016/01/29/new-bill-would-eliminate-use-of-stude…
Colorado The Ever-Changing Test That Is School Testing
http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_29449509/hilker-ever-changing-mess-…

Connecticut Why My Daughter Will Not Be Taking the New State-Mandated SAT
http://jonathanpelto.com/2016/01/28/my-daughter-will-not-be-taking-the-s…

Florida Legislators Fight Over Bonuses for Teachers With High ACT/SAT Scores
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/education/school-zone/os-teacher…
Florida More Than 15% of Students Reported Computer Problems on State Tests
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/education/school-zone/os-fsa-com…

Georgia Educators Frustrated Over Evaluations Tied to Test Scores
http://www.myajc.com/news/news/local-education/teachers-frustrated-over-…

Indiana Botched State Exam Makes Mockery of School Grades
http://www.heraldbulletin.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-botched-istep…
Indiana Author of State Testing Plan Apologizes
http://www.indystar.com/story/opinion/columnists/matthew-tully/2016/01/2…

Louisiana Fraud in Testing, Special Ed Found at Charter School
http://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2016/01/renew_charter_fraud_repo…

Massachusetts Public Schools Excelled Without Annual Testing
http://dianeravitch.net/2016/01/28/sandra-stotsky-massachusetts-excelled…

Michigan State Test Scores Leave More Questions Than Answers
http://davisonindex.mihomepaper.com/news/2016-01-28/News/State_releases_…

Minnesota Parents Force Local Board to Back Off on Opt-Out Ban
http://northwrightcounty.today/2016/01/school-board-backs-off-mandated-t…

New Jersey School Officials Weigh In on Suggested Changes to State Tests
http://www.northjersey.com/news/nj-state-news/tests-take-a-tweaking-1.15…

New York Opt-Out Advocates Say Test Changes Are Not Enough
http://romesentinel.com/education/opt-out-advocates-say-test-changes-are-not-enough/QBqpaC!8xAStrGJEuf389Fcllh4KA/
New York Superintendent Says: Ignore the Threats, Students Do Not Have to Take State Tests
http://dianeravitch.net/2016/02/01/long-island-superintendent-ignore-the…
New York State Tests Are A Roadblock to Student Learning
http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/work_in_progress/2016/01/testing_an_unf…

Oklahoma School Board Candidates Skeptical of Testing
http://www.muskogeephoenix.com/news/local_news/checotah-school-board-can…

Oregon Students Oppose Testing Emphasis
http://registerguard.com/rg/opinion/34007939-78/students-oppose-testing-…
Oregon Time to Use New Federal Law Flexibility to End Test-Based Teacher Evaluation
http://oregonsaveourschools.blogspot.com/2016/01/oregon-teacher-evaluati…

Pennsylvania “These Tests Will Go” The Opt Out Movement in Philadelphia
https://soundcloud.com/haveyouheardpodcast/these-tests-will-go
Pennsylvania Students Sleeping More Soundly As Grad Test Moratorium Appears Likely
http://www.dailyitem.com/news/local_news/test-law-delayed-until/article_…

Tennessee Opting Out Protections Included in New Parental Rights Bill
http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/109/Bill/HB1268.pdf

Texas District Considers Move Further Away From Evaluating Teachers on Student Test Scores
http://www.kvue.com/story/news/education/2016/02/01/aisd-considers-new-t…

Wisconsin Teacher Suspended for Criticizing Testing is Back to Work
http://weac.org/2016/01/12/west-bend-teacher-who-challenged-testing-syst…

Wyoming Local School Board Seeks Delay of Testing Changes
http://thesheridanpress.com/?p=48128

ACT/SAT Mills College Goes Test Optional to Promote Diversity
http://www.contracostatimes.com/opinion/ci_29430320/guest-commentary-mil…

GED Recalibration Shows That Test Cut Scores Are Arbitrary
https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2016/01/28/cut-scores-on-standardized-…

Standardized Testing Leads to Standardized Thinking
http://www.postbulletin.com/life/lifestyles/neehar-banerjee-standardized…

A Failing Grade for School Takeovers
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2016/01/27/a-failing-grade-for-k-12-st…

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