Testing Resistance & Reform News: October 18 - 24, 2017

National Why Education "Reform" Keeps Failing Students
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/education-reform-keeps-failing-students/

Arizona How "A to F" School Grades Vex Policy Makers
https://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2017/10/19/why-the-a-f-rating-system-for-schools-vexes-policymakers/

California Tests Don't Measure Intelligence
http://highschool.latimes.com/el-camino-real-charter/opinion-theres-nothing-intelligent-about-test-taking/
California Teacher Opted All Her Students Out of Smarter Balanced Tests
https://dianeravitch.net/2017/10/21/teacher-i-opted-out-all-my-english-classes-from-taking-sbac/

Florida The Perils of Teaching in a High-Stakes Testing Environment
https://unitedforflchildren.com/2017/10/18/teaching-in-a-high-stakes-accountability-system/

Illinois New Testing Benchmarks Provoke Confusion
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-met-illinois-sat-test-results-20171017-story.html

Louisiana Way Too Many Standardized Tests
http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/opinion/letters/article_bfcb65d4-b50f-11e7-8759-e7294f764661.html

Massachusetts Testing Is Not the Key to Creating Great Schools
http://www.capecodtimes.com/opinion/20171018/mcas-isnt-key-to-states-great-schools
Massachusetts No Surprise: New Tests Bring Lower Scores
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/10/18/new-tests-bring-worse-scores-for-mass-students/YYiJaH6OCmVcOsolkYRN7M/story.html

Nevada Former Students Who Did Not Pass Exit Exam Can Get Retroactive Diplomas
https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/education/nevada-students-denied-diplomas-over-failed-exams-get-shot-at-redemption/

New Mexico Make the Connection Between Poverty and Academic Performance
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/opinion/my_view/think-further-make-the-poverty-connection/article_1cd5bb21-888a-56dd-944a-be3872ca5b6c.html

New York Racial Gap in Advanced Placement Test-Taking Continues
https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20171011/washington-heights/ap-exams-advanced-placement-new-york-city-schools

Ohio Candidate Says Test-Based State Report Cards Don't Measure What Makes Schools Effective
http://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/contributors/2017/10/23/report-cards-do-not-reflect-what-makes-schools-effective/767523001/

South Carolina Online Testing May Have Depressed Students' Scores
http://www.scnow.com/news/local/article_3ff87028-b6a8-11e7-b21e-cbb519068d49.html

Tennessee Teachers Call for Invalidation of Miscored Test Results
https://www.chalkbeat.org/posts/tn/2017/10/16/memphis-teachers-union-calls-on-tennessee-to-invalidate-tnready-due-to-scoring-errors/
Tennessee Standardized Test Errors Testing the State
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/opinion/freepress/story/2017/oct/18/standardized-tests-testing-state/454947/tTe

Texas Principal Reprimanded for Test Cheating Promoted by District
http://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/education/episd/2017/10/19/reprimanded-el-paso-high-principal-head-curriculum-and-instruction-episd/777700001/

Virginia Governor Candidate Breaks with DeVos and Obama on Testing
https://newrepublic.com/article/145368/ralph-northam-taking-betsy-devosby-breaking-barack-obama

University How Test Scores Can Block Black Students from Admission
http://www.startribune.com/how-test-scores-can-block-black-students-from-the-university-of-minnesota/451717393/
University Time for a Plan to Aid Underserved Students
http://diverseeducation.com/article/102875/
University Colleges Dumping Test Scores in Favor of GPA to Define Academic Readiness
https://campustechnology.com/articles/2017/10/19/california-colleges-dumping-test-scores-adopting-gpa-to-define-college-readiness.aspx

Worth Reading When Grit Is Not Enough -- New Book by FairTest Board Member Linda Nathan
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2017/10/18/principal-money-matters-race-matters-grit-talk-makes-me-angry/
Worth Reading A Question for Betsy DeVos
http://truth-out.org/buzzflash/commentary/a-question-for-betsy-devos

Bob Schaeffer, Public Education Director
FairTest: National Center for Fair & Open Testing
office-   (239) 395-6773   fax-  (239) 395-6779
mobile- (239) 699-0468
web-  http://www.fairtest.org