Testing Resistance & Reform News: May 25 – 31, 2016

Many states are beginning to review their assessment and accountability systems to comply with the new federal Every Student Succeeds Act. Input from grassroots stakeholders — particularly parents, educators and community leaders — can help determine whether the revised policies help improve learning and teaching or simply put a different gloss on failed test-and-punish systems.

National Heavy-Handed Draft Federal Guidelines for Use of Test Scores in School Accountability
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/05/26/new-rules-old-fight-critics-say-u-s-proposals-on-implementing-education-law-are-heavy-handed/

Multiple States Opt-Out Movement Forces Some Legislatures to Scrap Standardized Exams
https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/2016/05/26/opt-out-movement-forces-legislatures-to-scrap-standardized-tests/?singlepage=true
Multiple States Everything You Wanted to Know About What’s Wrong with Smarter Balanced Tests
https://dianeravitch.net/2016/05/25/rachel-rich-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-e-test/

Alaska State Solicits Input About Testing Policy to Comply with New Federal Ed. Law
http://www.adn.com/alaska-news/education/2016/05/24/state-education-officials-want-to-know-what-alaskans-think-about-testing-academic-standards/

Arkansas Problems with New Computer Testing Technology
http://katv.com/community/7-on-your-side/testing-technology

California Civic Preparations Can’t Be Measured by a Multiple-Choice Exam
http://edsource.org/2016/civic-preparation-cannot-be-measured-by-a-multiple-choice-test/563970

Florida Some Districts Threaten to Hold Back High-Performing Third Graders Who Refused Test
http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/gradebook/florida-third-graders-without-reading-test-scores-have-few-options-for/2279102

Georgia Admit 2016 Test Was a Disaster and Start Over
http://getschooled.blog.myajc.com/2016/05/28/gadoe-admit-the-milestones-were-a-disaster-this-year-and-start-over/
Georgia High School Diploma Awarded Twenty Years Late After Grad Test Repeal
http://www.11alive.com/news/grad-gets-diploma-after-waiting-20-years/213550593

Idaho State Seeks Comments on New School Accountability System
http://www.idahoednews.org/news/state-survey-idahoans-accountability-system/

Indiana Panel Hears Proposals to Overhaul Testing
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/indiana/Reboot-of-ISTEP-underway-13225194

Indiana Applying Common Sense to Testing Policy
http://www.news-sentinel.com/opinion/your-voice/Let-s-return-common-sense-to-testing

Massachusetts Fed Up with Testing, Elementary Students Organize PARCC Protest
http://cambridge.wickedlocal.com/article/20160525/NEWS/160527384

Massachusetts Plan to Rate Teachers Based on Test Scores is Under Fire
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/05/30/new-school-testing-measure-under-fire/dUgVcsVizHZ1FnqiwYCj5J/story.html

New Jersey Bill Would Require Districts to Post Test Participation Rates
https://www.tapinto.net/towns/west-orange/sections/education/articles/bill-to-inform-public-about-number-of-students-ta

New Jersey Follow the Money to Understand PARCC
http://www.thedailyjournal.com/story/opinion/readers/2016/05/30/letter-parcc-testing-profit-education/85000728/

New York Opt-Out Activist Running for NYC Teacher Union Leadership
http://gothamist.com/2016/05/24/jia_lee_opt-out_activist.php

New York Parents Warned About Field Tests
http://citylimits.org/2016/05/27/cityviews-a-testing-skeptics-open-letter-to-parents-about-nycs-field-tests/

Oklahoma Time to Dump the Graduation Test Mistake
http://www.tulsaworld.com/opinion/editorials/tulsa-world-editorial-time-to-dump-the-graduation-test-mistake/article_4306bfb9-84ca-5d4a-bc66-214f932539d1.html

Oregon More Students Choosing Not to Take State Tests
http://www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/4374206-151/more-students-choosing-not-to-take-state-test

Oregon Test Prep Begins in Third Grade
http://www.opb.org/news/series/classof2025/class-of-2025-third-grade-testing/

Tennessee State Seeks Proposals for Accountability System Overhaul
http://www.chalkbeat.org/posts/tn/2016/05/24/as-new-federal-education-law-looms-mcqueen-seeks-input-for-tennessee-plan/#.V0TF9vkrLIV

Texas Opting Out is Possible, But Not Easy
http://educationblog.dallasnews.com/2016/05/hate-the-staar-test-opting-out-is-possible-but-not-easy.html/
Texas Test Administration Must Comply with State Law
http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/opinions/editorials/article/EDITORIAL-Texas-needs-to-catch-a-falling-STAAR-7943364.php

Virginia School Shows Test Scores Are Not the Whole Story
http://www.suffolknewsherald.com/2016/05/24/test-scores-are-not-the-whole-story/

Washington Seattle School Board Votes to Pursue Alternative to Smarter Balanced Exams
https://seattleducation2010.wordpress.com/2016/05/29/seattle-school-board-passes-resolution-requesting-the-state-to-provide-an-alternative-to-the-sbac/

International Britain Testing Our Children to Destruction
http://www.lincolnshireecho.co.uk/SATs-exams-testing-children-destruction/story-29319690-detail/story.html

ACT/SAT More Colleges Moving To Test-Optional Admissions
http://www.whec.com/news/test-optional-colleges-/4149172/?cat=565

Worth Reading A School Inspection and Review System as a Better Alternative to Test-Based Accountability
http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/brown-center-chalkboard/posts/2016/05/26-inspections-school-accountability-ladd

Worth Reading Selecting the Best Non-Test Indicator to Measure School Quality
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gary-m-ratner/states-crucial-choice-und_b_10127094.html