As grassroots pressure forces more and more policy makers to recognize the failure of test-driven “school reform,” there’s a sharp uptick in the number of jurisdictions rolling back standardized exam requirements. Parents, educators, and other activists need to keep the heat on their elected representative to eliminate test overuse and misuse.
National The “Education Reform” Movement Has Failed America
https://time.com/5775795/education-reform-failed-america/
Arizona Don’t Base Teacher Performance Pay on Test-Based Metrics
https://tucson.com/opinion/local/local-opinion-teacher-performance-pay-based-on-unrealistic-metrics/article_ef075f67-1f34-5251-8945-39c70e09aec1.html
Colorado Licensing Tests Help Keep Educators of Color Out of Classrooms
https://coloradosun.com/2020/01/30/colorado-lawmakers-want-to-increase-teacher-diversity/
Florida Governor’s “BEST” Standards and Assessments Are Self-Contradictory
https://accountabaloney.com/index.php/2020/01/28/hoping-for-the-b-e-s-t-using-sat-act-scores-to-calculate-school-grades-probably-wont-get-us-there/
Florida Pre-Schools Need More Funding, Not More Tests
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/scott-maxwell-commentary/os-op-pre-k-florida-grading-scott-maxwell-20200128-jewkjiwjynfhdd4bt576lwxysa-story.html
Georgia Officials Announce Plan to Cut Number of Required Tests
https://www.wjbf.com/ap-top-news/georgia-officials-seek-to-end-5-tests-for-state-students/
Idaho Debate About Common Core Standards and Tests Still Unresolved
https://www.idahocountyfreepress.com/news/common-core-testimony-favors-standards-amid-house-rules-review/article_3c77774c-4179-11ea-b08a-23bb4d4426be.html
Indiana Legislature Seeks Two-Year “Hold Harmless” Pause in Test-Driven School, Teacher Penalties
https://www.indystar.com/story/news/education/2020/02/03/indiana-general-assembly-schools-get-reprieve-ilearn-penalties/4644822002/
Massachusetts Teacher Licensing Reform Is Crack in Armor of High-Stakes Testing
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/opinion/unpacking-rileys-teacher-licensing-proposal/
Michigan Districts “Revolt,” Refuse to Flunk Third Grades With Low Reading Test Scores
https://www.bridgemi.com/talent-education/michigan-schools-revolt-we-wont-flunk-struggling-third-grade-readers
New York Regents Consider Alternatives to Graduation Tests
https://poststar.com/news/local/board-of-regents-to-consider-changes-to-high-school-graduation/article_9552c150-a310-53e6-bc73-d56414f0af3b.html
Texas STAAR Test Is a Flawed Measure of Student Learning
https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2020/02/02/the-staar-test-doesnt-measure-what-we-need-it-to-measure-whether-kids-are-learning-in-school/
Utah Legislative Committee Unanimously Recommends Ending Civics Graduation Test
https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2020/02/04/utah-high-schoolers-might/
University Admissions High School GPA Is Five Times Stronger Than ACT Score at Predicting College Graduation
https://www.tun.com/blog/high-school-gpa-not-act-score-is-a-strong-predictor-of-college-graduation/
University Admissions Why Are So Many U.S. Schools Going Test Optional?
https://www.studyinternational.com/news/universities-us-test-optional/
University Admissions Is It Fair to Award Scholarships Based on Test Scores?
https://www.wsj.com/articles/is-it-fair-to-award-scholarships-based-on-the-sat-11580639400
International How Finland Designed Its Schools Around Student Well-Being, Not Test Scores
https://govinsider.asia/digital-gov/anna-korpi-how-finland-designed-its-schools-around-childrens-mental-health/
Bob Schaeffer, interim Executive Director
FairTest: National Center for Fair & Open Testing
office- (239) 395-6773 mobile- (239) 699-0468
web- http://www.fairtest.org