Testing Resistance & Reform News: May 12 – 18, 2021

As states go through the motions to comply with the federal government’s commitment to the spring 2021 testing charade, parents, educators, academic experts, and community leaders are increasingly speaking out about the absurdity of the exercise. At the same time, reports from around the nation indicate that a record-high number of families have chosen to protest the politically motivated foolishness by opting their children out of standardized exams. Keep the pressure on!

National Activists Mobilize Around Test Waivers and Opt Outs

https://rethinkingschools.org/articles/activists-mobilize-for-waivers-and-opt-outs-as-biden-mandates-tests/

Hawaii Rethinking Education and Assessment in the Wake of the Pandemic
https://www.civilbeat.org/2021/05/reforming-our-education-system-in-the-wake-of-the-pandemic/

Illinois What The Pandemic Taught a Principal About Standardized Testing
https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2021/05/14/standardized-testing-pandemic

Indiana State to Revisit Test-Based School Grades
https://in.chalkbeat.org/2021/5/11/22423623/indiana-a-f-school-grades-state-takeover

Maryland Stop the Fixation on Standardized Test Scores
https://www.baltimoresun.com/opinion/readers-respond/bs-ed-rr-school-testing-pandemic-letter-20210511-rqaq7onmpzhfhkfoybelaac6xe-story.html

Massachusetts State Will Waive Test-Based School Ratings
https://www.masslive.com/news/2021/05/massachusetts-education-officials-to-press-pause-on-school-accountability-determinations.html
Massachusetts Most Boston Public School Students Will Not Have to Take State Tests
https://schoolyardnews.com/bps-officials-we-have-to-give-mcas-but-students-dont-have-to-take-it-this-year-aa7dd7a41049
Massachusetts “Less Testing, More Learning” Protest by Teachers and Allies
https://www.patriotledger.com/story/news/2021/05/14/teachers-union-protests-mcas-students-quincy-statewide/5089167001/

Michigan Schools Try to Navigate Not-So-Standardized Testing Season
https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/2021/05/12/m-step-optional-greater-lansing-students-amid-covid-19-pandemic-participation/4995815001/

Nevada The Realities of Standardized Testing
https://lasvegassun.com/news/2021/may/15/the-realities-of-standardized-testing-in-education/

New York National Teacher Union Head Rips Fixation on Standardized Exams
https://nypost.com/2021/05/13/teachers-union-chief-cites-stuyvesant-hs-in-ripping-standardized-testing/

North Carolina More Families Refusing “Absurd” State Annual Exams
https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/2021/05/14/new-hanover-families-refuse-standardized-testing-after-year-covid-pandemic/4875504001/
North Carolina Debate Continues Over Value of Standardized Testing
https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/2021/05/10/bcs-predicts-lower-state-testing-scores-due-pandemic/4893672001/

Texas Education Group Slams Proposal to Tie School Funding to Standardized Exam Scores
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/neighborhood/katy/article/Education-advocacy-nonprofit-slams-STAAR-16168880.php

University Admissions In Settlement of Major Civil Rights Lawsuit, UC System Agrees to Ignore ACT/SAT Scores
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/uc-settles-student-lawsuit-agrees-not-to-use-sat-act-scores-in-admissions/ar-BB1gKx02?ocid=BingNewsSearch

Bob Schaeffer, Executive Director
FairTest: National Center for Fair & Open Testing
office- (239) 395-6773 mobile- (239) 699-0468
web- https://fairtest.org.org

Tags: