Testing Resistance & Reform News: July 8 - 14, 2020

Because testing is primarily a political policy, not an educational one, effective organizing by parents, educators and will be needed to block the reimposition of punitive assessments and  extend testing suspensions at least through June 2021. 

National Should Standardized Tests Be Administered In a Pandemic?
https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2020/07/09/standardized-testing-and-covid-19-4-questions-answered.html

California State Issues Guidance for Optional Use of Formative and Interim Assessments
https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/he/hn/guidanceonassessments.asp

Florida Will the State Cancel School Tests Again for the 2020-2021 Academic Year?
https://www.tampabay.com/news/education/2020/07/08/will-florida-cancel-school-tests-again-in-2021/

Georgia State Submits Formal Testing Waiver Request to U.S. Department of Education
https://wfxl.com/news/state-news/georgia-submits-standardized-testing-waiver-request

Indiana Despite Concerns, Schools Can Give Third Grade Reading Test to Entering Fourth Graders This Fall
https://in.chalkbeat.org/2020/7/8/21317302/indiana-schools-can-give-iread-test-in-the-fall-despite-state-superintendents-concerns

Kentucky Education Groups Seek Federal Testing Waiver for Coming School Year
https://www.wdrb.com/in-depth/kentucky-education-groups-worry-covid-19-guidance-could-overburden-teachers-staff/article_dbdd7522-c07f-11ea-a821-5f240486217b.html

Massachusetts Six Ways High-Stakes Testing Has Failed Our Students
https://www.citizensforpublicschools.org/cps-report-mcas-is-the-wrong-answer/
Massachusetts NAACP Launches Petition to Waive Selective High School Admission Test
https://schoolyardnews.com/naacp-launches-petition-drive-to-scrap-the-test-for-exam-schools-this-fall-f40d112b3cb8

Nevada Criticism of Public Education Based on Test Scores Is Misguided
https://m.lasvegassun.com/news/2020/jul/10/common-criticism-of-public-education-is-misguided/

New York Legislators Back Repeal of Specialized High School Admissions Test
https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/ny-new-specialized-high-school-state-legislation-20200709-dnbas7rczjbdtp7dw5rjdddofa-story.html

Pennsylvania Black Students Seek Overhaul of High School Admissions Testing Policy
https://whyy.org/articles/black-students-at-central-high-and-some-faculty-call-for-overhaul-of-admissions-school-policies-to-increase-equity/ 
Pennsylvania School Grades Are Unfair
https://www.citizensvoice.com/opinion/letters/school-grades-seem-unfair/article_4d75e355-d432-5b98-8b62-4ae304163848.html

South Carolina Legislator Calls for State to Waive 2020-2021 School Tests No Matter What Feds Say
https://www.charlestonchronicle.net/2020/07/09/rep-ja-moore-calls-on-sc-superintendent-to-waive-standardized-testing-regardless-of-us-dept-s-decision/

Texas Parents, Elected Officials Press State to Reconsider Plan to Resume High-Stakes Testing
https://kfoxtv.com/news/back-to-school/school-state-officials-ask-to-eliminate-starr-testing-for-upcoming-school-year
Texas Don't Restart State Testing, Rethink Entire Approach to Assessment
https://www.statesman.com/opinion/20200712/opinion-donrsquot-restart-standardized-testing-instead-rethink-approach

College Admissions Graduate Departments Shift From Reliance on GRE
https://physicstoday.scitation.org/do/10.1063/PT.6.2.20200709a/full/
College Admissions Time to Move Away from Admissions Tests
https://grbj.com/opinion/guest-column/move-away-from-college-entrance-exams/

Worth Reading Pandemic Creates Opportunity to Rethink Role of Standardized Tests
https://www.uml.edu/news/stories/2020/education-testing.aspx
Worth Reading Students Score Lower Taking Online Tests
https://www.edutopia.org/article/standardized-tests-students-face-online-penalty

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