news

Across the U.S. the testing resistance and reform movement is rapidly expanding as annual standardized exam begin in many schools. This week's stories from more than half the 50 states clearly show the significant impact that parents, students, teachers, administrators and community leaders are having on policy makers in the fight against testing misuse and overuse.

FairTest Opt Out Resources
http://fairtest.org/get-involved/opting-out
Fact Sheet: Why You Can Boycott Testing Without Fear of Federal Penalties for Your School

With the annual standardized exam season about to begin in the nation's public schools, the testing resistance and reform movement is speaking out loudly both on Capitol Hill and in many state capitals. Make sure to add your voice so more politicians get the message.

U.S. House Scheduled to Vote on NCLB Revisions This Friday
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2015/02/house_set_to_pass_n...
National Teachers Unions Step Up Lobbying Efforts on "No Child" Rewrite

The "spin" on today's first story may be a bit ahead of the curve. But the testing resistance and reform movement is making significant progress, as this week's clips from half of the nation's 50 states clearly demonstrate. To win even more tangible victories, we have to ratchet up the pressure on policymakers at the federal, state and local levels to significantly reduce testing overuse and end high-stakes standardized exams.

Boycotters Might Be Winning Battle Over Standardized Testing

This week's news stories and opinion columns -- from more than half the 50 states -- demonstrate the rapidly growing breadth and depth of the U.S. assessment reform movement.

Ever-strengthening assessment reform pressure has kept proposals to roll back test misuse and overuse at the center of education policy debates on Capitol Hill and in many state capitals across the country.  This week's news stories, opinion columns, and advocacy resources come from 22 states as well as Washington, DC

Email Congress Now to Demand Less Federal Testing, End to High-Stakes
http://fairtest.org/roll-back-standardized-testing-send-letter-congres
FairTest Statement to Congress -- Grade-Span Exams, No Punitive Consequences

Less Testing, More Learning

Testimony to the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee

Monty Neill, Ed.D., Executive Director, FairTest (National Center for Fair & Open Testing)

Emailed to FixingNCLB@help.senate.gov

(NOTE: for a print friendly PDF of this document click here.)

February 2, 2015

Dear Chairman Alexander, Ranking Member Murray, and Members of the Committee:

Your voice can help make a difference! Use this letter to urge your U.S. Senators to support a reduction in standardized testing to once each in elementary, middle and high schools, while ending high stakes, punitive sanctions.

The Senate education committee will consider a rewrite of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (also known as NCLB) by mid-March. The House bill, up for an early March vote, keeps all the testing in grades 3-8. 

The Senate is our only chance. Please act now.

Demonstrating another surge of support for assessment reform as the Spring 2015 testing season nears, this week's stories about the movement against standardized exam overuse and misuse come from more than 40% of the 50 states. The news is reinforced by several excellent analytic pieces and opinion columns (back issues of these weekly updates are archived at: http://fairtest.org/news/other)

Forum on Educational Accountability

Recommendations for Improving Federal Law - January 2015

for further information:

Bob Schaeffer   (239) 395-6773

for immediate release Thursday, January 22, 2015