Testing Resistance & Reform News: January 4 – 10, 2017

A reporter, who called FairTest today for a comment on a breaking story, said it well, “Every time I read your news clip compilations, I’m shocked at how much testing reform activity is going on across the country.” We hope these weekly summaries are just as helpful in making your work more productive. Please send us links to articles and resources from your local area that merit broader attention.

National How Testing Policies Have to Change in U.S. Public Schools
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2017/01/06/how-testi…

Multiple States Changes to Test-Based Teacher Evaluations Plans Under Consideration
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/teacherbeat/2017/01/states_mull_changes_t…
Multiple States Using Local Flexibility to Translate ESSA Blueprint to K-12 Reality
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2017/01/04/tricky-balance-in-shifting-…

California State Continues Pushback Against Federal Testing Rules
https://edsource.org/2017/u-s-to-make-final-decision-on-california-scien…
California Time to Leave Behind NCLB’s Catch-22 on Calculating English Learners’ Progress
https://edsource.org/2017/ending-the-no-child-left-behind-catch-22-on-en…

Colorado State Seeks Shorter Test With Faster Results
http://www.cortezjournal.com/article/20170106/NEWS01/170109913/Cortez-Ma…

Connecticut Mastery Exam Task Force Report Expected Soon
http://jonathanpelto.com/2017/01/05/mastery-exam-task-force-report-due-s…

Florida Legislators Look for Ways to Streamline School Testing
http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/testing/senate-looking-for-ways-t…
Florida Who Will Be Grading Our Kids Tests?
http://jaxkidsmatter.blogspot.com/2017/01/who-will-be-grading-our-kids-t…
Florida State’s Measure of Teacher Performance Is Unfair
http://www.news-press.com/story/opinion/2017/01/05/how-state-measures-te…

Indiana Where Toxins Meet Testing
https://sbloom2.wordpress.com/2017/01/03/where-toxins-meet-testing/
Indiana High-Stakes Testing Contributes to School-to-Prison Pipeline
http://www.educationworld.com/a_news/state-panelists-partly-blame-cultur…

Maryland ESSA Listening Tour Underway
http://www.wmdt.com/news/maryland/md-launches-every-student-succeeds-act…

New Mexico Bill Would Downplay Role of Test Scores in School Grades
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/education/morales-files-bill-to-re…

New York Teachers No Longer Gagged From Discussing Test Questions
http://www.educationviews.org/nys-lifts-ban-teachers-talking-test-questi…

North Carolina Let’s Change How We Talk About “Achievement”
http://www.citizen-times.com/story/opinion/2017/01/09/guest-columnist-ch…

Ohio Graduation Rate Could Plummet Under New Testing Requirements
http://www.bucyrustelegraphforum.com/story/news/local/2017/01/08/under-n…

Texas Educators Criticize Provisional “A to F” School Grades
http://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/community/fort-worth/article1245…
Texas I Can’t Answer Questions on the State Test About My Own Poems
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/standardized-tests-are-so-bad-i-cant…

Wyoming Graduation Requirements Up for Review
http://wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/wyoming-graduation-requirements-review

International Are PISA Test Results Rigged to Benefit Asian Nations?
http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2017/01/04/are-the-pisa-education-r…

Worth Reading Stop Betsy DeVos Tool Kit
http://networkforpubliceducation.org/2016/12/join-us-in-stopping-the-con…
Worth Reading Test-Taking Accommodations May Fall Short for Students with ADHD
http://www.additudemag.com/adhdblogs/19/12311.html
Worth Reading Grading and Ranking Does Not Improve Educational Quality
http://nepc.colorado.edu/blog/dont-count
Worth Reading How “Design Thinking” Became a Buzzword
https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2017/01/how-design-thinkin…

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