Testing Resistance & Reform News: November 18 – 24, 2020

As the Biden presidential transition moves into high gear, a decision about waiving federal standardized exam requirements for spring 2021 looms as one of the first major issues for a new U.S. Secretary of Education to address. Simultaneously, pressure is building on states to waive their own K-12 and university admissions testing mandates. FairTest is working closely with parents, educators and community activists in these vital campaigns.

December 1 is “Giving Tuesday” — please consider supporting FairTest’s assessment reform leadership in your year-end contribution plans– https://fairtest.org.org/donate

National Biden’s Education Pick Will Be Tested on Assessments During First Month of New Administration
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/weekly-education-coronavirus-special-edition/2020/11/23/bidens-pick-for-education-secretary-will-be-tested-on-assessments-791827

Multiple States Movement to Ditch or Downplay Spring 2021 Standardized Tests Accelerates
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2020/11/state-standardized-tests-ditch-downplay-coronavirus.html

Arizona Pandemic Continues to Challenge State’s “A-to-F” School Rating System
https://fronterasdesk.org/content/1636280/covid-19-continues-challenge-arizonas-f-school-accountability-system

Florida Parents Told Online Students Must Take Standardized Tests at Schools
https://www.floridaphoenix.com/2020/11/23/online-learning-students-must-take-statewide-exams-in-person-at-public-schools-even-during-a-pandemic/

Georgia State School Board Moves to Remove All Consequences From Exam Results
https://www.ajc.com/education/georgia-school-board-discusses-downplaying-impact-of-high-school-standardized-tests/5NI2MGRP3JFCDKPT6LUKXUWXKE/

Illinois Leaders Debate Whether to Suspend Standardized Testing During Pandemic
https://chicago.chalkbeat.org/2020/11/20/21583266/illinois-school-leaders-and-advocates-split-on-decision-on-standardized-testing-in-a-pandemic

Indiana School Board Association Hopes New Biden Administration Approves Spring 2021 Testing Waivers
https://www.tribstar.com/news/indiana_news/public-educators-expect-much-from-biden-team/article_fb09ea9e-6253-5487-b4ef-ed9571a88300.html
Indiana Local Leaders Want Changes in How State Grades Schools
http://www.dailyjournal.net/2020/11/24/how_state_grades_schools_may_change_but_local_leaders_want_more/

New York Meet Exam Busting School Leader (and FairTest Board Member) Ann Cook
https://atlasofthefuture.org/project/new-york-performance-standards-consortium/
New York Student Activists File Civil Rights Complaint Against Test-Based High School Admission
https://www.the74million.org/after-walking-out-and-sitting-in-student-activists-file-civil-rights-complaint-against-selective-admissions-at-nyc-schools/

North Carolina Parents and Teachers Petition State for End-of-Course Exam Waivers
https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/education/north-carolina-teachers-and-parents-petition-to-waive-state-eoc-exams-as-covid-19-cases-rise/275-4b1c9218-90cc-4a07-9c8e-35e4353f474d
North Carolina Assessment Reform Group Criticizes In-Person Exam Mandate
http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2020/11/19/testing-reform-group-condemns-in-person-testing-mandate-for-high-school-students/

Ohio State Board of Education Assesses Pandemic Impact on Standardized Testing Plans
https://www.wdtn.com/news/local-news/pandemic-impact-on-standardized-testing/

Texas Near-Majority, Bipartisan Group of Lawmakers Wants 2021 School Testing Mandates Lifted
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/education/article/Bipartisan-group-of-Texas-lawmakers-call-on-state-15736944.php
Texas Teacher Applaud Legislators Seeking Standardized Exam Cancellation
https://www.jacksonvilleprogress.com/news/tsta-applauds-legislators-seeking-staar-cancellation/article_0d4d7180-2c77-11eb-a11f-83482c729f31.html

Virginia State School Board Waives Some Testing Requirements
https://godanriver.com/news/state-and-regional/state-board-of-education-waives-some-sol-requirements/article_db9f51d0-da52-51ed-a24e-6881361b20c1.html

University Admission The Future of ACT/SAT Testing
https://www.getrevue.co/profile/next-jeff-selingo/issues/the-future-of-testing-291285

Worth Reading Teaching Bad “Writing” Test-Prep for Fun and Profit
https://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/11/teaching-bad-test-prep-writing-for-fun.html

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

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