Testing Resistance & Reform News: October 9 – 15, 2019

“Momentum” is the buzzword of the week for the assessment reform movement. In state after state, pressure from parents, students, educators, researchers, and grassroots activists is forcing policy makers to roll-back standardized testing policies that undermine education quality and equity. There’s still a long way to go, but progress is definitely taking place!

Colorado Educators Debate Overhaul of School Accountability Rating System
https://www.coloradoindependent.com/2019/10/09/colorado-school-performance-ratings/

Florida State Standards Changing for Fifth Time in 24 Years
https://www.tampabay.com/news/gradebook/2019/10/12/fifth-time-in-24-years-why-florida-is-changing-school-standards-again/

Georgia Focus on Passing Grade-Level Tests Hurts Learning
https://www.ajc.com/blog/get-schooled/expect-kids-grade-level-math-lot-them-aren/lBxMi3XF66zwGoERtdj8cL/
Georgia Teachers Protest Standardized Exam Overkill
https://www.ajc.com/news/state–regional-education/teachers-complain-about-georgia-excessive-testing/x7vQFaoViDAFROe5qZUXeP/

Kansas Study Shows State Over-reliance on Test Scores Supplants Educator Judgement
https://www.kcur.org/post/study-suggests-kansas-schools-rely-data-expense-teacher-knowhow
Kansas Controversy Over Replacing State Test with ACT
https://www.mvnews.org/proposal-to-drastically-change-state-assessments-is-in-the-making/

Kentucky Focus on Poverty-Linked Test Score Competition Hurts Education
https://www.rcnky.com/articles/2019/10/13/op-ed-competition-obsession-prevents-asking-correct-questions

Massachusetts Don’t Use Test Scores To Compare Communities
https://ipswich.wickedlocal.com/opinion/20191011/editorial-ipswich-mcas-for-self-examination-not-comparisons

Nebraska State Test Score Ratings Align Closely with Community Poverty
https://www.ksnblocal4.com/content/news/Outside-factors-can-impact-academic-ratings-562764131.html

New Jersey A World of Research Supports Dropping Tenth Grade Test
https://www.nj.com/opinion/2019/10/a-world-of-research-supports-dropping-10th-grade-tests-nj-teachers-union.html
New Jersey A Child Is More Than a Test Score
https://www.nj.com/opinion/2019/10/a-child-is-more-than-a-test-score-njea-president-says.html

New York Regents Back Off From Test-Score Based Teacher Evaluations
https://www.newsday.com/long-island/education/board-of-regents-albany-1.37302138
New York Let’s Get Rid of All the Regents Exams
http://nyceducator.com/2019/10/should-we-maintain-regents-exams.html

Ohio Education Policy Makers Focus on Trivia, Ignore What Really Matters
https://www.tdn-net.com/opinion/columns/71911/just-another-ode-boondoggle

Rhode Island Students Accused of Purchasing Advanced Placement Test Exam Answers
https://eastgreenwichnews.com/high-school-ap-students-accused-of-cheating/

South Dakota Superintendent Urges Governor to Look Beyond Test Scores
https://www.aberdeennews.com/news/opinion/columnists/bruns-beyond-the-test-scores-that-left-noem-unimpressed/article_a0fa308a-008e-5c36-8e6f-c1ac04b159f7.html

Washington Input Solicited on Graduation Requirements Now That Exit Exam is History
https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/weigh-in-on-washingtons-new-proposed-high-school-graduation-requirements/281-d4c5514f-b6f3-4e34-8095-c003fd563c00

International Australia How NAPLAN, the National Testing Program, Is Failing Our Students
https://www.greenleft.org.au/content/how-naplan-failing-our-students

University Admissions Record Number of Schools Drop ACT and SAT Amid Questions of Fairness
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/education/record-number-of-colleges-stop-requiring-the-sat-and-act-amid-questions-of-fairness

Worth Reading Artificial Intelligence Shows Standardized Tests Don’t Measure Knowledge or Understanding
https://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2019/10/ai-pokes-another-hole-in-standardized.html

Bob Schaeffer, Public Education 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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