Public support for what Harvard Professor Daniel Koretz labels the “Testing Charade” (http://www.press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/T/bo24695545.html) is dropping rapidly around the nation. As a result, campaigns by parents, students, teachers, school leaders, and community activists are rolling back standardized exam misuse and overuse in many states and districts. Look for a new FairTest report documenting 2017 assessment reform victories later this week.
National Under ESSA, States Back Away From Evaluating Teachers Based on Student Test Scores
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2017/11/essa_evaluation_teacher_test_scores.html
Connecticut What Should Really Count in Evaluating School Quality
https://reallearningct.com/2017/12/01/what-really-counts/
Florida Scores From Hurricane Evacuees Won’t Count for School Accountability
http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/gradebook/2017/11/28/most-hurricane-maria-evacuees-will-not-count-in-floridas-school-accountability-system-education-commissioner-says/
Florida Test-Based Teacher Bonuses Help Lead to Under Funding for Education
http://www.news-press.com/story/opinion/contributors/2017/12/01/appreciate-gifts-teachers-give-lee-county-schools/909176001/
Indiana State Flunking on Plan to Replace Graduation Test with ACT/SAT
http://www.journalgazette.net/opinion/columns/20171205/state-flunking-on-istep-replacement
Kansas Testing Not at Center for Design of 21st Century School System
http://bigthink.com/design-for-good/kansas-is-entirely-rebuilding-its-educational-system
Louisiana End the Tyranny of Testing
http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/opinion/letters/article_91fc27aa-d55e-11e7-a3ac-3b3213391f3d.html
Maryland To Evaluate Teachers, Talk to Their Students
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-op-1201-bad-teachers-20171129-story.html
Michigan State Pushes Back Against Criticism of ESSA Plan
http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/12/state_agency_fires_back_at_adv.html
New Jersey Superintendent Says Testing Overkill Has “Jumped the Shark”
https://www.frhsd.com/Page/71
New Mexico Bias in VAM Teacher Ratings Dissected
http://vamboozled.com/bias-in-vams-according-to-validity-expert-michael-t-kane/
New Mexico Superintendent Stresses Student Achievements Beyond Test Scores
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/education/superintendent-points-to-sfps-students-achievements-beyond-test-scores/article_80898fa4-ffeb-5b84-9f75-21e053b4dc64.html
New York Panel Will Explore Alternatives to State Assessments
http://liherald.com/stories/school-district-joins-study-to-improve-state-tests,98052
Oregon Widespread Confusion as Testing Requirements Change
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2017/12/oregon_should_wait_on_new_test.html
Tennessee Senator Seeks Two-Year Testing Moratorium After Flawed Scores
http://www.dnj.com/story/news/2017/11/27/sen-ketron-seeks-2-year-moratorium-tnready-testing-schools/898583001/
Virginia For Sake of Education, Dump Standards of Learning Tests
http://www.roanoke.com/news/dan_casey/casey-for-education-s-sake-dump-the-standards-of-learning/article_4053333d-0087-5d8d-ae08-259d14cf7d57.html
Virginia Reader Join In to Revile State Tests
http://www.roanoke.com/news/dan_casey/casey-readers-revile-sols-too/article_e63073c8-197f-59d8-93a3-eb086a7427ad.html
Wisconsin School Board Questions State Report Card Grading System
http://www.wiscnews.com/baraboonewsrepublic/news/local/education/article_ce5defed-b3bd-57d1-b55a-f93f718e7ddb.html
International UN Warns About Negative Impacts of Test Pressures on Schools
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/un-alert-against-test-pressure-on-schools-191158
University Admissions ACT, SAT Firms Selling Out High School Students to Marketers
http://www.latimes.com/business/lazarus/la-fi-lazarus-selling-student-information-20171201-story.html
Worth Reading An Inconvenient Testing Truth
https://www.usnews.com/opinion/knowledge-bank/articles/2017-11-28/be-wary-of-overpromises-for-what-school-testing-can-measure-and-accomplish
Worth Reading Sorting Out the Debate About Educational Accountability
http://nepc.colorado.edu/blog/sorting-out
Worth Reading How Testing Took the “Standards” Movement in the Wrong Direction
https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2017/11/29/what-the-standards-based-movement-got-wrong.html