Testing Resistance & Reform News: June 1 – 7, 2016

Testing controversies continue to produce major news stories across the nation as the grassroots assessment reform movement presses to roll back the pervasive overuse and misuse of standardized exams.

National Draft Federal Regulation Try to Continue Test-and-Punish Policies Under ESSA
https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2016/06/02/federally-mandated-test-and…

California More than Half of Students Opt-Out of Tests at Two Schools
http://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2016/05/28/paly-gunn-again-see-low-sm…

Florida After Protests, State Tells Districts to Allow Promotion by Portfolios, Not Just Test Scores
http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/gradebook/florida-third-grade-promotion-de…
Florida Parents Continue to Protest Against State Tests
http://www.wtsp.com/news/education/sarasota-parents-students-protest-fsa…
Florida State Exams Test Patience of Schools, Families
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20160601/OPINION/160609957?Title=Ed…

Iowa Shift to Computer Administered Tests Delayed for One Year
http://www.kcrg.com/content/news/Iowa-schools-get-another-year-to-get-re…

Indiana Design Flaws in Tests for Students with Disabilities
http://www.chalkbeat.org/posts/in/2016/06/01/state-says-flawed-exam-for-…

Kentucky State Ed Commissioner Blasts Federal Testing Guidance
http://www.wlky.com/news/kentucky-education-commissioner-fires-a-shot-at…

Massachusetts State Joins Others Ending Use of Test-Score-Based Student “Growth” in Teacher Evaluation
http://vamboozled.com/massachusetts-also-moving-to-remove-growth-measure…
Massachusetts Books Put Standardized Testing to the Test
https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/books/2016/06/02/standardized-testing-p…

Nebraska ACT Is Not the Right Test for All Students
http://www.theindependent.com/opinion/editorial/act-not-the-right-test-f…
Nebraska New Contract Suspends Writing Test After Computer Flaws
http://www.omaha.com/news/education/new-contract-casts-doubt-on-future-o…

Nevada Upcoming Changes Don’t Help Students in Last Exit Exam Class
http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/education/upcoming-changes-won-t-help-…

New Jersey We Can’t Afford PARCC
http://politickernj.com/2016/06/we-cant-afford-parcc/
New Jersey More Than 10,000 Students Submit Portfolios Instead of PARCC Scores
http://nj1015.com/portfolio-parcc-appeals-top-10000-for-njs-high-school-…

New Mexico Testing Troubles
http://www.sfreporter.com/santafe/article-12046-Testing%20Troubles.html
New Mexico We Can Do Better Than PARCC Testing
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/education/open-letter-we-can-do-be…

New York Advocates Call on Legislature to Fix Education Laws, Reform Assessment
http://www.nysape.org/nysape-pr-fix-broken-laws.html
New York State Education Department Posts Many Test Questions Online
http://www.wktv.com/news/state/State_Education_Dept_releases_75_of_ELA_t…
New York State Denies Rewards to High-Performing Schools with Large Opt-Out Numbers
https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20160606/windsor-terrace/16-schools-whe…

North Carolina Students Immersed in Tests That Measure the Wrong Things
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/opinion/op-ed/article81210612.html
North Carolina Year-End Testing Torture
http://www.kinston.com/news/20160606/mike-parker-schools-coming-to-end-o…

Ohio State School Board Member Calls New Testing System “Class Warfare”
http://www.mydaytondailynews.com/news/news/board-member-wagner-calls-tes…

Oklahoma Test Rollback Bill Awaits Governor’s Signature
http://publicradiotulsa.org/post/testing-repeal-bill-awaits-governors-si…

Pennsylvania State School Ratings Put Too Much Emphasis on Test Scores
http://www.tribdem.com/news/editorials/gerald-l-zahorchak-do-tests-matte…

Tennessee Students Suggest How to Overhaul Standardized Exams
http://www.eschoolnews.com/2016/06/01/students-suggest-how-to-fix-standa…
Tennessee No Rules Bar Removing Low Scoring Students to Boost Test Averages
http://www.newschannel5.com/news/newschannel-5-investigates/making-the-g…

Texas District Says State Test Violated Disabled Students Ed Plans
http://seguingazette.com/news/article_49c896aa-2856-11e6-9dbc-b322b9f300…

Vermont Detailed Test Score Analysis Collapses Under Student Privacy Concerns
https://vtdigger.org/2016/06/06/student-test-score-analysis-falls-apart-…

International Scottish Teachers Threaten Boycott of New National Tests
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14537767.Teachers_threaten_boycott_of…

ACT/SAT Why the New Format Could Mean a Famous Admissions Exam is Dying
http://www.ibtimes.com/why-new-sat-format-could-mean-famous-college-exam…

Worth Reading Teachers Say Too Much Time Spent on Test Prep
http://www.ewa.org/blog-educated-reporter/testing-and-test-prep-how-much…

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