Testing Resistance & Reform News: July 24- 30, 2019

Believe it or not, a new public school year begins in less than two weeks in several states! Fortunately, testing reformers have not been relaxing over the “summer vacation.” Parents, educators, students, and community activists are ready to promote better assessment systems and fight schemes to impose even more high-stakes standardized exams. Check out this week’s news . . .

National Standardized Testing Is Losing Ground in U.S. Schools. Here’s What’s Next
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-07-29/standardized-testing-is-losing-ground-in-u-s-schools

Florida School Grading Systems Contains Many Flaws, Produces Misleading Results
https://www.floridaphoenix.com/2019/07/25/from-a-d-to-an-a-in-one-year-and-other-anomalies-in-floridas-grading-system-for-public-schools/

Georgia Districts Experiment with Alternative Assessment Programs
https://www.onlineathens.com/news/20190727/area-school-systems-trying-new-student-assessment-tests

Indiana Under Convoluted Rules, Rescoring Exams Can Hurt Teachers
https://duboiscountyherald.com/b/rescoring-students-exams-may-hurt-teachers

Michigan Up to 5,000 Children Could Be Held Back by Third Grade Reading Test
https://www.bedfordnow.com/news/20190726/msu-report-up-to-5000-students-would-be-held-back-if-proposed-law-went-into-effect-today

New York Testing Review to Consider Scrapping Exit Exam
https://13wham.com/news/local/state-board-of-regents-to-review-high-school-diploma-requirements-rethink-regents-exams

North Carolina Feds Approve State’s Plan to Change Exam Requirements
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article232992452.html
North Carolina New Push to Block Controversial Reading Assessments
https://abc11.com/education/new-push-to-block-controversial-nc-reading-program-for-kids/5417390/

Ohio Schools Tire of Changing Graduation Targets
https://www.journal-news.com/news/local-education/butler-county-schools-tire-ohio-moving-high-school-graduation-targets/RtzPh5ZYhCapD7a36niA4L/

Texas Test-Based School Takeovers Fail
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/outlook/article/School-takeovers-fail-Is-Houston-next-Opinion-14148214.php

Utah Student-Oriented Schools Require Less Standardized Testing
https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900080859/guest-opinion-an-outline-for-changing-to-a-student-oriented-school-system.html

Vermont School Test Scores Nine Months Overdue
https://vtdigger.org/2019/07/28/school-test-score-data-nine-months-overdue/

Washington A More Positive Future Without Standardized Testing
https://www.union-bulletin.com/local_columnists/a-future-of-positive-change-without-standardized-testing/article_9f3219c6-af0e-11e9-bd32-1b6bd33d9bdd.html

International United Kingdom Parents Sue to Stop Testing of Four-Year-Olds
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/reception-baseline-assessment-test-children-school-a9017456.html

Bob Schaeffer, Public Education 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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