Testing Resistance & Reform News: May 3 – 9, 2017

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.html
l

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

Tags: