The movement to suspend standardized testing requirements at least for the 2020-2021 academic year is growing rapidly at both the K-12 and college admissions levels. Now is the time for activists to seize the opportunity created by COVID-19 school closures to press for lasting assessment reforms. States should be pressed to seek federal testing waivers and, if they have not done so already, roll back graduation exam mandates (https://www.fairtest.org/graduation-test-update-states-recently-eliminated). At the same time, higher education grads need to encourage their alma maters to eliminate ACT/SAT admissions test requirements, as 55% of colleges and universities have done (https://www.fairtest.org/university/optional). Contact FairTest if you need help in launching or building winning campaigns.
National More Standardized Testing Is the Worst Idea for Reopening Schools
https://progressive.org/public-school-shakedown/more-testing-schools-reopen-greene-200703/
Georgia State Posts Federal Testing Waiver Request for Public Comment (full text)
https://www.gadoe.org/External-Affairs-and-Policy/Policy/Documents/2020-2021%20Federal%20Waiver%20Request%20–%20Final.pdf
Hawaii State Will Pursue Federal Test Waiver as Part of Back-to-School Plan
https://www.civilbeat.org/2020/06/state-teachers-union-doe-agree-to-reopening-terms/
Indiana New Law Suspends Use of Student Test Scores in Teacher Evaluations
https://www.eaglecountryonline.com/news/local-news/state-rep-lyness-highlights-several-new-laws-effective-july-1/
Massachusetts Lawmakers, Teachers and Parents Push to Extend Testing Moratorium
https://www.newburyportnews.com/news/regional_news/lawmakers-union-want-to-pause-mcas-tests/article_fd014687-bcda-53bb-90a3-fa8666a71ee4.html
Massachusetts State Senator Answers Constituent’s Concern About Testing
https://www.gazettenet.com/Columnist-Jo-Comerford-s-Dear-Jo-35048057
Michigan State Ed Board and Superintendent Seek 2020-2021 Federal Testing Waiver
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/education/2020/07/01/education-leaders-want-cancel-michigan-k-12-assessments-amid-pandemic/5355240002/
Michigan Third Grade Test Retention Law: “The Beatings Will Continue Until You Learn to Read”
https://www.bridgemi.com/guest-commentary/opinion-beatings-will-continue-until-you-learn-read
Texas Parents Call for Federal Exam Requirement Waiver, Suspension of High Stakes for Test Scores
http://www.tamsatx.org/assets/pdf/TAMSA_Letter_to_Gov_revisedFinal.pdf
Texas State Plans to Resume Standardized Testing Over Educators’ Objections
https://www.arklatexhomepage.com/news/texas-news/texas-to-resume-high-stakes-standardized-testing/
Virginia Entrance Test Undermines Diversity at Magnet High School
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/thomas-jefferson-high-admissions-diversity/2020/07/01/802fbc02-badb-11ea-80b9-40ece9a701dc_story.html
College Admissions Winning Student’s Essay Praises Test-Optional Policies
https://centraljersey.com/2020/07/01/essay-by-mcvts-student-chosen-in-new-york-times-contest/
College Admission State Legislator Argues for Lifting ACT/SAT Requirements
https://buffalonews.com/opinion/another-voice-standardized-tests-promote-inequities-in-education/article_ac299770-bc9c-11ea-93f4-17310078a8f6.html
Worth Reading End Standardized Testing to Make Black Lives Matter in Public Schools
https://thegrio.com/2020/06/29/black-lives-matter-public-schools/
Worth Reading Standardized Testing Maintains Systematic Racism in Public Education
https://richmondstandard.com/community/education/2020/06/29/op-ed-standardized-testing-maintains-systemic-racism-in-public-schools/
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