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Back-to-school season is the same time when last year's state standardized exams scores are released.  Does that make sense?  Certainly not, if the purpose of assessment is to provide feedback that can help improve teaching and learning. That's increasingly the reaction of education leaders and policy makers, as this week's news clips demonstrate.

You can help advance the growing testing reform movement by contributing to FairTest today: 

With classrooms opening -- or preparing to do so -- around the U.S., there's a seasonal uptick in the volume of stories about teachers, administrators, community activists, and policy makers questioning the value of standardized exam scores, which have long dominated education policy making.  Clearly time to ratchet up grassroots pressure, which drives policy change.

National "No Child" Pressures to Boost Test Scores Got Diminishing Returns

Public school classrooms open their doors to students in parts of the South at the end of this week.  No surprise, then, that coverage of testing plans (and protests) is escalating from mid-summer doldrums.

With less than 100 days left before the November 2018 elections, grassroots activists are increasing the pressure on contenders for Congress, statewide offices, legislative seats, and local school boards to speak out against testing misuse and overuse.  This is the season to get the attention of public officials and win their commitment to genuine assessment reform -- be sure to find out where candidates stand before giving them you vote!

Arizona All State Super Candidates Criticize State Test and School Grades

FairTest is pleased to announce that Andre Green will take over as Executive Director later this summer when Dr. Monty Neill retires. For details about Andre's background and early information about a November event to honor Monty and welcome Andre:

Yet another state -- Indiana -- dropped its graduation testing requirement this week.  A decade ago, nearly two dozen jurisdictions required students to pass a  high school exit exam.  Now the number is just twelve. In addition, several states -- -- have retroactively awarded diplomas to young adults who completed their coursework but failed a now cancelled testing hurdle.  The strong position against high-stakes exams adopted by the NAACP should add more muscle to campaigns to eliminate these barriers.

National NAACP Opposes High-Stakes Testing

More "fallout from the testing explosion" as this week's stories document both the damage from high-stakes standardized overkill and the growing grassroots movement pushing for genuine assessment reform

Alabama State Board Considers How to Replace ACT Aspire Test
https://www.alexcityoutlook.com/2018/07/09/state-school-board-narrowing-...

Arizona If High-Stakes Tests Don't Make Sense, Neither Will the Results

Happy Fourth of July! Be sure to celebrate the growing movement for independence from standardized testing misuse and overuse.

Arizona Districts Can Drop State Test, Choose Other Standardized Exam
https://tucson.com/news/local/tusd-ditching-azmerit-test-for-high-school...

Florida Inconsistent Treatment of End-of-Course Test Scores
http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/gradebook/2018/06/26/officials-seek-consis...

What's wrong with current high-stakes testing policies? Check out this week's clips to see some of the damage to educational quality and equity from standardized exam overuse and misuse.  There's also very good news with the University of Chicago, one of the nation's most selective schools, adopting a test-optional admissions policy.

National Why Test Blindly?  Secrecy Supports Exam Industry, Not Education
http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2018/06/testing-blind.html

What a week!  The University of Chicago drops ACT/SAT admissions testing requirements; Seattle teachers endorse a moratorium on standardized exams; and many state continue to rollback testing overkill.  Momentum for meaningful assessment reform is clearly building.

California Hot Classrooms From Climate Change Could Set Schools Up to Fail
https://earther.com/climate-change-could-set-kids-up-to-fail-1826637932

Illinois Chicago Teachers Negotiate Right to Block Tests That Are Not Mandated by State or Feds