Testing Resistance & Reform News: November 6 - 12, 2019
From Alaska to Florida and many states in-between, the pushback against standardized testing misuse and overuse continues to accelerate. Feel free to use this week's stories and commentaries as models for your own local assessment reform work.
Alaska Reading Is So Much More Than What Standardized Tests Measure
https://www.adn.com/opinions/letters/2019/11/11/letter-wrong-approach-on-reading/
Colorado What Is School Quality and Who Decides?
https://www.the74million.org/article/holmes-what-is-school-quality-and-who-decides-were-bringing-together-educators-families-and-students-for-this-vital-discussion/
Connecticut Computerized Tests Worse Than Old Pencil-and-Paper Versions
https://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/archives/entry/20191112_op-ed_welcome_to_your_test_score_bonanza_headquarters/
Florida One Test Does Not Predict Student Success
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/guest-commentary/os-op-lake-county-sat-scores-response-lauren-ritchie-20191108-tc3h6nrudnhxhaabtot5chtjwe-story.html
Georgia Some Advanced Students Will Take Fewer Tests
https://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/news/politics-government/national-politics/article237115604.html
Georgia Atlanta Board Rethinks How to Assess Schools
https://www.ajc.com/news/local/accountability-punishment-atlanta-board-revisits-measuring-schools/7E3d5Wt4k0c23IQ3xNq9dP/#
Indiana Push Standardized Testing Out of the Way So Teachers Can Teach
https://indianatalks.com/2019/11/if-you-want-to-improve-student-test-scores-empower-teachers-and-get-out-of-the-way/
Mississippi State Studies Possible Elimination of History Test Requirement
https://www.wdam.com/2019/11/07/state-board-education-more-study-needed-before-elimination-us-history-exam/
New Mexico Not all Sold on Requiring SAT for All High School Students
http://www.scdailypress.com/site/2019/11/05/not-all-sold-on-sat-for-nms-high-schoolers/
New York Regents Test Content May Discourage Reading for Pleasure
https://patch.com/new-york/new-york-city/stanford-prof-finds-ny-regent-exam-might-be-discouraging-reading-fun
Tennessee Testing Promotes False Premises About "Failing" Kids
https://www.johnsoncitypress.com/Column/2019/11/10/Don-t-accept-false-premises-about-failing-kids.html?ci=stream&lp=1&p=
Vermont Stop "Beating a Dead Horse" with More Testing
https://vtdigger.org/2019/11/05/william-j-mathis-beat-the-dead-horse-harder/
Wisconsin District Cuts Back Standardized Test Requirements
https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/education/local_schools/madison-schools-drop-winter-reading-and-math-test-for-elementary/article_007c9ec6-4b7f-5d33-9d6d-54fc994282f6.html
Wyoming State Should Mandate Fewer Standardized Exams
https://oilcity.news/community/2019/11/11/wyoming-should-mandate-less-state-and-federal-testing-ncsd-says/
University Admissions Applicants Are More Than Standardized Test Scores
https://www.dailycal.org/2019/11/08/students-are-more-than-standardized-test-scores/
Worth Reading What U.S. Schools Can Learn From Finland
https://ssir.org/articles/entry/what_us_schools_can_learn_from_finlands_approach_to_education
Worth Reading Robots May Be Grading Your Kids Tests, With Bias
https://www.wbur.org/cognoscenti/2019/11/12/robo-grading-rich-barlow
Bob Schaeffer, Public Education Director
FairTest: National Center for Fair & Open Testing
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web- http://www.fairtest.org
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