Testing Resistance & Reform News: June 20 – 26, 2018

What’s wrong with current high-stakes testing policies? Check out this week’s clips to see some of the damage to educational quality and equity from standardized exam overuse and misuse. There’s also very good news with the University of Chicago, one of the nation’s most selective schools, adopting a test-optional admissions policy.

National Why Test Blindly? Secrecy Supports Exam Industry, Not Education
http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2018/06/testing-blind.html
National Gates Foundation’s $575 Million Teacher Evaluation Initiative a Massive Failure
https://www.chalkbeat.org/posts/us/2018/06/21/the-gates-foundation-bet-b…

Arizona Few Resources to Help Schools with Low Test Grades
https://tucson.com/news/local/with-few-resources-from-state-feds-struggl…

California Opt-Out Rate Remains High Despite Test-Taking “Incentives”
https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2018/06/25/high-opt-out-rates-on-sta…

Georgia Grade Promotion Errors Highlight Testing Flaws
http://www.savannahnow.com/news/20180619/report-card-error-raises-issue-…
Georgia Teach, Rather Than Test
http://www.savannahnow.com/opinion/20180623/letters-to-editor-sunday-tea…

Maine Concerns About “Proficiency Based” Graduation Requirements
http://mainepublic.org/post/more-do-overs-and-fewer-tests-some-maine-edu…

Massachusetts Students Thrive in Innovative Assessment Consortium Schools
http://www.wbur.org/edify/2018/06/22/beyond-mcas-performance-assessments
Massachusetts Growing Concern that Testing Pushes Creativity Out of Classrooms
http://www.wbur.org/edify/2018/06/21/mcas-pass-fail-teach-test

Michigan Third Grade Reading Test Law Could Penalize Bilingual Programs
https://www.chalkbeat.org/posts/detroit/2018/06/19/reading-law-could-pen…

Mississippi Students Highlight Dangers of Too Much Testing
http://www.djournal.com/news/students-on-testing-task-force-highlight-da…

New York State’s Flawed ESSA Plan Would Punish Schools for Opt Outs
https://www.lohud.com/story/opinion/contributors/2018/06/20/nys-punish-s…
New York Replace Admissions Test to Integrate NYC Selective High Schools
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/06/24/opinion/editorials/new-yo…
New York Test Questions Posted Online During “Secure” Exam
https://nypost.com/2018/06/19/student-allegedly-posted-pictures-of-regen…

Oregon “Raising the Bar” on Tests is Really “Moving the Goal Posts”
https://www.eugeneweekly.com/2018/06/21/moving-the-goal-posts/

Pennsylvania Education Data Dashboards Superior to Test-Dependent School Grades
https://www.researchforaction.org/publications/school-performance-profil…

South Carolina More Than 4,000 Third Graders Could Be Held Back By Reading Test Scores
https://www.postandcourier.com/news/up-to-sc-third-graders-could-be-held…

Tennessee More Testing Changes Announced After Multiple Computer Exam Failures
http://www.hartsvillevidette.com/schools/state-announces-changes-to-tnre…
Tennessee “Cyber Attack” Was False Explanation for Testing Crash; Vendor Screwed Up
https://chalkbeat.org/posts/tn/2018/06/20/there-was-no-cyber-attack-inve…

Utah Stop Assigning Misleading School Grades
https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/letters/2018/06/22/letter-before-they-fix…

University Admissions Could ACT/SAT Scores Become a Thing of the Past
https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/News/sat-act-scores-thing-past/story?id=56046920
University Admissions Reasons to Celebrate Test Optional Schools
https://www.forbes.com/sites/willarddix/2018/06/20/reasons-to-celebrate-…
University Admissions Young People Embrace Test-Optional (and Test-Blind) Policies
https://today.yougov.com/topics/education/articles-reports/2018/06/21/st…

International Algeria Shuts Down Internet, Facebook to Curb Exam Cheating
https://www.engadget.com/2018/06/21/algeria-internet-high-school-exam-ch…

Worth Reading Less Testing, More Recess Will Help Stem Obesity Epidemic
https://themerrowreport.com/2018/06/25/what-is-making-our-children-fat/
Worth Watching How Teachers Really Feel During State Testing Time
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWSOewPMxhs

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