Assessment reform proposals continue to move forward in many state legislatures as grassroots pressure from parents, educators and community leaders forces policy makers to reconsider standardized exam overkill. If you have friends or allies who would benefit from these weekly updates, please encourage them to sign up for this free service at:https://fairtest.orgdata.com.org/weekly-news-signup
CaliforniaLegislature Moves Closer to Eliminating High School Exit Exam
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/high_school_and_beyond/2017/05/california_close_to_dumping_high_school_exit_exam.html
California Initial Results From Experiment with More Holistic Accountability Systems
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/inside-school-research/2017/05/aera_early_results_in_californ.html
California State Board Imposes Own Brand on ESSA Compliance Plan
https://edsource.org/2017/state-board-inscribes-california-way-on-state-plan-for-new-federal-law/581325
ColoradoWhat Test Scores Don’t Tell You About My Students
https://www.popsugar.com/moms/Teacher-Post-What-Test-Scores-Dont-Show-About-Students-43502390
ConnecticutLet’s Get Teacher Evaluation Right (Finally)
https://ctviewpoints.org/2017/05/03/teacher-evaluation-in-connecticut-lets-finally-get-it-right/
FloridaParents Desperate to End “Absolutely Ridiculous” State Testing
http://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-pinellas/parents-desperate-to-stop-absolutely-ridiculous-state-testing
Florida Candidate for Governor Calls for End to High-Stakes Testing
http://www.gainesville.com/news/20170502/graham-launches-campaign-calls-for-school-changes
IllinoisBill to Keep SAT Scores Off of Student Transcripts Passes Senate Unanimously
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/highland-park/news/ct-hpn-high-school-transcript-bills-tl-0511-20170508-story.html
LouisianaJoin the Less Testing, More Learning Campaign
http://louisianaeducator.blogspot.com/2017/05/join-less-testing-more-learning-campaign.html
MassachusettsState Education Association Magazine Contains Several Testing Reform Articles
http://www.mtatoday.org/mtatoday/spring_2017
MichiganOpt-Out Families Fear Tests Take Control Away From Teachers
http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2017/05/testing_opt_out.html
Michigan Detroit Parents Say: Let Kids Opt Out of Tests
http://www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/2017/05/04/column-parents-deserve-let-kids-opt-tests/101314086/
MississippiTechnology Woes Unfortunate Reality for State Testing
https://djournal.com/opinion/opinion-technology-woes-unfortunate-reality-state-testing/
NebraskaTesting Company Will Be Replaced Due to “Recurrent Technical Problems”
http://journalstar.com/news/local/education/state-ed-board-will-consider-contract-with-new-testing-company/article_5e53ded9-41fd-57fa-b873-7a3ebb7f34ac.html
New JerseyAdvocates Press for End to PARCC Grad Test
http://www.njtvonline.org/news/video/parcc-critics-call-sweeney-help-stop-test-grad-requirement/
New YorkMore Than 90,000Long Island Students Boycott State Math Tests
http://www.newsday.com/long-island/more-than-90-000-li-students-opt-out-of-common-core-math-test-1.13568358
New York Criteria for Evaluating Schools Under ESSA Will Expand
http://www.timesunion.com/allwcm/article/Regents-aim-to-expand-rules-for-ranking-schools-11130795.php
New York New Book: Confronting Oppressive Assessments
https://www.amazon.com/Confronting-Oppressive-Assessments-Policymakers-Educational/dp/1475826818
OregonBroader School Rating System Planned
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2017/may/03/oregon-plans-broader-rating-system-for-schools/
PennsylvaniaThe Waste of State Testing
http://standardspeaker.com/opinion/the-waste-of-state-testing-1.2188042
Rhode IslandEducation Commissioner Tries to Defend State Test Switch
http://www.golocalprov.com/news/its-not-about-the-test-ri-education-commissioner-defends-parcc-to-mcas-swit
South CarolinaHow Much Testing Is Too Much
http://www.postandcourier.com/news/a-key-question-as-south-carolina-standardized-testing-season-starts/article_5efb40b0-2f5b-11e7-bc96-834f8f9332cd.html
South Carolina Parents, Teachers Plan Protests Over Test-Based Educator Evaluations, Principal Shuffling
http://www.postandcourier.com/news/coming-monday-parents-teachers-plan-protest-at-charleston-county-school/article_49eae9b8-31af-11e7-a90e-87d25c1d219b.html
TexasHouse Endorses Testing Reductions, Changes to School Evaluation
http://www.kens5.com/news/local/texas/bill-to-reduce-standardized-tests-to-pass-texas-house/437341167
Texas Teachers Won’t Be Evaluated Based on Test Scores
http://www.reporternews.com/story/news/education/2017/05/03/texas-teacher-evaluation-lawsuit-settled/101267090/
Texas Court Rules Against “Value Added Measurement” Teacher Evaluation in Houston
http://vamboozled.com/breaking-news-victory-in-court-in-houston/
WashingtonWhich Tests Should Students Have to Pass to Graduate? Some Legislators Say None.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/politics-government/article148768119.htmll
InternationalHong Kong Schools Prepare for Exam Boycott to Protest “Overdrilling”
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2093029/hong-kong-schools-ready-boycotts-pupils-sit
University AdmissionsChinese Nationals Arrested for Testing Fraud Scheme
https://www.voanews.com/a/us-arrests-four-chinese-students-in-college-test-scam/3838880.html