Testing Resistance & Reform News: July 15 – 21, 2020

As schools plan to re-open this fall or winter, at least in some form, two states, Georgia and Michigan, have already requested waivers from federal testing requirements for the 2020-2021 academic year. Make sure your state becomes part of the rapidly growing assessment reform movement — contact FairTest for model proposals and strategic guidance.

GeorgiaState Waits for Federal Response on Request for Waiver from Testing Requirement
https://valdostatoday.com/news-2/region/2020/07/gdoe-applies-to-waiver-2020-21-standardized-tests/

HawaiiProject Based Learning Should Replace Test-Driven Education
https://www.staradvertiser.com/2020/07/19/editorial/insight/project-based-online-learning-provides-real-world-opportunities/

KentuckyTeachers, Superintendents and School Boards Support Extending Standardized Exam Moratorium
https://www.wdrb.com/in-depth/kentucky-education-groups-worry-covid-19-guidance-could-overburden-teachers-staff/article_dbdd7522-c07f-11ea-a821-5f240486217b.html

MassachusettsEducators Seek Student Testing Waiver as Part of Back-to-School-Safely Plan
https://www.bostonherald.com/2020/07/14/teachers-propose-phased-reopening-for-schools-following-guidance-from-state-board/

Massachusetts State Exam is “The Wrong Answer” Fact Sheets in Four Languages Support Testing Moratorium Campaign
https://www.citizensforpublicschools.org/

MichiganGovernor Requests School Testing Waiver for 2020-2021
https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/Waiver_request_to_Sec._DeVos_695431_7.pdf

TennesseeLocal Superintendent Seeks Standardized Exam Waiver for Coming Year
https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/williamson/franklin/2020/07/20/williamson-franklin-special-supers-support-testing-waiver-2020-21/5473426002/

Tennessee Pandemic Offers Chance to Waive Testing, Re-imagine Education
https://www.tennessean.com/story/opinion/2020/07/17/pandemic-offers-chance-waive-standardized-test-re-imagine-education/5452413002/

TexasState PTA Presses Governor to Seek Federal Testing Waiver for 2020-2021 School Year
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/education/texas-pta-letter-gov-greg-abbott-federal-waiver-pause-staar-testing-2020-2021-year/287-ba724be0-1bd1-4797-b3cd-e6195318e4dc

Undergraduate AdmissionBasketball Coaches Call ACT/SAT Athletic Eligibility Rules “Longstanding Forces of Institutional Racism”
https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/national-association-basketball-coaches-sat-act-eliminated-eligibility/story?id=71819804

Undergraduate Admission July ACT Was a “Total Failure” for Many Test-Takers
https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/19/us/july-act-tests-canceled-trnd/index.html

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

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