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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 Senators and Representative in the U.S. Congress to support a reduction in standardized testing to once each in elementary, middle and high schools, while ending punitive sanctions. The House and Senate education committees plan to start re-writing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (also known as NCLB) by mid-February. You can strengthen your message by adding your own comments, such as your and your children’s personal experiences with overtesting.

Thank you.

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

for further information:

Dr. Monty Neill  (617) 477-9792                     

Bob Schaeffer   (239) 395-6773

for immediate release, Tuesday, January 20, 2015

INDEPENDENT TEST RESULTS SHOW NCLB FAILS

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) was signed into law in 2002, the latest version of the long-standing Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Its provisions, such as testing grades 3-8 annually in reading and math and punitive sanctions, took effect over the next several years. The law is seven years overdue for reauthorization by Congress. This year, both the House and Senate are showing strong interest in voting for a new version.

for further information:
Dr. Monty Neill  (617) 477-9792                    
Bob Schaeffer   (239) 395-6773

for use with Secretary Arne Duncan Seaton Elementary Speech, Monday, January 12, 2015

Across the nation, resistance to test overuse and misuse reached unprecedented levels in spring 2014. The rapidly growing movement built on significant test opposition unleashed in 2013. This year, resistance erupted in more states with far more participants, and it won notable victories.

The first wave of tangible “wins” included many significant steps forward. In the past two years:

The Testing Resistance and Reform Movement, based on interviews with dozens of activists, provides insights on how they built rapidly growing, successful campaigns.

See: