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The week between Christmas and New Year’s Day is supposed to be quiet. Not this year for the assessment reform movement, as this collection of news stories, opinion columns, and social media postings makes clear. Across the U.S., grassroots organizers are using this period to prepare for even more victories in 2016!
If these “Testing Resistance & Reform News” updates are helpful in your work, please consider making a year-end donation to FairTest to support their collection and distribution, as well as our activist campaigns. Not only will your contribution be completely tax-deductible but it will also be DOUBLED via a matching grant from FairTest Board member Deborah Meier, the first public school educator to win a MacArthur “genius” award.
https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/fairtest#
See you in 2016!
National Assessment Reformers Push States to Adopt More Sensible Testing
http://www.districtadministration.com/article/outlook-schools-push-sensible-testing
Colorado Standardized Test Results Yield Nothing New
http://www.vaildaily.com/news/19591350-113/standardized-test-results-yield-nothing-new
Connecticut Needed Teacher Evaluation System Overhaul Now Possible Under ESSA
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Wendy-Lecker-Teacher-evaluation-system-needs-6718379.php
Connecticut Feds Claim Opt-Out Rates Too High in 148 Schools
http://ctmirror.org/2015/12/29/feds-say-too-few-students-took-required-tests-in-148-ct-schools/
Florida How Much Time Do Students Really Spend on Testing?
http://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/news/news/state-regional-education/do-florida-students-spend-too-much-time-taking-tes/npqqX/
Georgia What the New Federal Education Law Means for Local Public Schools
http://www.macon.com/opinion/readers-opinion/article51704895.html
Georgia Test-Based “Merit Pay” for Teachers Does Not Work
http://www.myajc.com/news/news/opinion/it-doesnt-work/nprJb/
Illinois Students and Schools Should Not Be Defined By a Single Test Score
http://www.mywebtimes.com/news/local/not-defined-by-single-test-score/article_512a62b4-512d-53c9-ac86-efc892f30a9b.html
Indiana Teachers Call for State Testing Pause
http://www.courier-journal.com/story/opinion/2015/12/22/letter-teachers-call-pause-istep/77758056/
Indiana Time to Find Better Assessment System
http://www.dailyjournal.net/view/local_story/Column-Time-to-find-system-bet_1450913685
Massachusetts Standardized Testing Is Not Educationally Meaningful
http://cambridge.wickedlocal.com/article/20151226/NEWS/151228241/?Start=1
Massachusetts Feds Threaten State with Fund Loss for Not Administering Same Test to All Students
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/12/23/warns-mass-could-lose-aid-over-two-test-approach/sHKHrOmslFmESgz5aZk9WM/story.html
Massachusetts What Do Test Score Increases Really Mean?
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/article/20151227/OPINION/151229691
Michigan Schools Celebrate More Local Control with New Federal Education Law
http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2015/12/schools_under_more_local_contr.html
Montana Grading the Test: Glitchy Exams and Poor Funding
http://helenair.com/news/education/state/grading-the-test-how-glitchy-exams-and-poor-funding-left/article_26259d5b-3c19-5d0f-b193-57b7ef217b61.html
Montana Testing Cutback is “Christmas Present” for Juniors
http://billingsgazette.com/news/local/education/principals-on-testing-cutback-for-juniors-this-is-my-christmas/article_feadec01-d67a-512d-b952-d2375d5ab3a6.html
New Jersey As Students Opt Out of State Tests, Feds Threaten to Withhold Funds
http://www.northjersey.com/news/education/feds-detail-penalties-for-test-refusals-1.1479704
New York Opt Out Leaders Promise to Grow Test Refusal Movement
https://dianeravitch.net/2015/12/26/momentary-lapse-will-ny-opt-outs-grow/
New York Shifts in Testing Policy May Help Schools in 2016
http://www.recordonline.com/article/20151227/NEWS/151229623
New York Twas the Night Before Christmas (for Assessment Reformers)
http://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2015/12/twas-night-before-christmas-by-fred.html
North Dakota K-12 Standardized Testing Needs Reform
http://www.grandforksherald.com/opinion/letters/3911509-letter-k-12-standardized-testing-needs-reform
Ohio Parents Should be Leery of New PARCC Test Results
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/12/27/score-drop-no-big-deal-this-time.html
Ohio Schools Prepare for Another Round of Testing Changes
http://www.news-herald.com/general-news/20151228/northeast-ohio-schools-prepare-for-standardized-testing-changes
Pennsylvania Unless We Are Careful, ESSA May Leave Some Students Behind
http://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2015/12/unless_were_careful_the_new_no.html#incart_river_index
Rhode Island Survey Shows Parents Want Less Standardized Testing
http://www.valleybreeze.com/2015-12-22/cumberland-lincoln-area/schools-survey-shows-parents-want-less-standardized-testing#.VnqUR-bvvm4
South Carolina Teachers Won’t Be Judged on Students’ End-of-Year Exam Under Proposed Revamp
http://thetandd.com/news/state-and-regional/teachers-won-t-be-judged-on-end-of-year-tests/article_4f27fcec-7f38-5264-bc64-a51f5da6099f.html
South Carolina Some Common Sense Comes to Teacher Evaluations
http://www.indexjournal.com/opinion/editorial/Common-sense-comes-to-SC-public-education
Tennessee Reformers Try to Spin Test-Accountability System’s Failures
http://www.livingindialogue.com/reformers-continue-to-spin-failed-accountability-schemes/
Texas Assistant Superintendent Guilty of Federal Charges for Encouraging, Covering Up Test Cheating
https://www.fbi.gov/houston/press-releases/2015/former-beaumont-isd-assistant-superintendent-guilty-of-federal-charges
Vermont Educators Take Wait and See Approach to New Federal Education Law
http://mountaintimes.info/vermont-educators-take-wait-and-see-approach-to-new-federal-every-student-success-act/
Virginia Is Testing Really the Answer to Educational Problems
http://norfolkdailynews.com/blogs/is-testing-really-the-answer/article_19274108-a986-11e5-9342-c73af18e3fc1.html
West Virginia Big Testing Changes From Feds and State
http://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/20151227/state-federal-changes-leave-questions-about-future-of-wv-education
ACT/SAT Many More Colleges Are Dropping Admissions Exam Requirements
http://news.heartland.org/newspaper-article/2015/12/29/colleges-are-dropping-entrance-exam-requirements
List of 850+ Test-Optional or Test-Flexible Colleges and Universities
http://fairtest.org/university/optional
Gaslighting and Turnaround Schools
http://www.pegwithpen.com/2015/12/gaslighting-turnaround-schools.html
Exams Are “Disempowering Students” and Ignoring Their Abilities, International Experts Warn
https://www.tes.com/news/school-news/breaking-news/exams-are-disempowering-students-and-ignoring-their-abilities
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