Testing Resistance & Reform News: March 21 - 24, 2015

The testing resistance continues to expand rapidly across the U.S. with assessment reform news updates from two dozen states in just the past four days. 

Arizona Senate Takes Up Bill Establishing Opt-Out Procedures
http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/arizona/politics/2015/03/23/arizona-bill-let-parents-opt-standardized-test/70322302/

Colorado Charter Schools See Rise in Test Opt Outs
http://www.fox21news.com/news/story.aspx?id=1179674#.VRBv35NLUZw

Connecticut Testing: The Truth About Smarter Balanced
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Wendy-Lecker-The-truth-about-the-SBACs-6149232.php

District of Columbia Test-and-Punish Policies Have Not Worked
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/turning-around-schools-requires-more-than-better-test-scores/2015/03/20/1d048326-c2af-11e4-9ec2-b418f57a4a99_story.html

Florida Assessment Reform Movement is Test for Jeb Bush Presidential Aspirations
http://www.wsj.com/articles/bush-faces-test-of-exam-policy-1426896426
State Senate Bill Would Examine Testing Fallout
http://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/politics/2015/03/21/senate-bill-looks-testing-fallout/25165959/

Georgia School Testing Still Does Not Make the Grade
http://savannahnow.com/column/2015-03-23/michael-moore-school-testing-still-not-making-grade

Illinois Schools Drop Arts, Music for Testing
http://chicago.suntimes.com/news-chicago/7/71/457712/parcc-testing-school-art-music-canceled

Louisiana Educators Seek Three-Year "Hold Harmless" Period From Any New Test Evaluations
http://theadvocate.com/news/11898262-123/lae-favors-legislative-led-review-of
Louisiana Parish Topped 15% Opt Outs
http://www.kplctv.com/story/28575974/cpsb-parish-leads-state-in-number-of-parcc-opt-outs

Maine District Reports More Than 50% Opt Outs
http://bangordailynews.com/2015/03/20/news/midcoast/more-than-half-of-rockport-high-school-juniors-opt-out-of-new-state-test/

Maryland Test Study Commission Approved by Both Houses of State Legislature
http://www.wmdt.com/news/more-local-news/house-approves-bill-for-commission-on-standardized-tests/31965698

Massachusetts Educators Explain How Testing is Undermining Learning and Teaching
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2015/03/23/elementary-school-teachers-how-parcc-testing-is-affecting-our-classrooms/

Michigan Parents Reject State Tests to Reduce Pressure on Kids
http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/story/news/local/michigan/2015/03/24/much-pressure-kids-parents-reject-state-tests/70366374/
Kalamazoo College Goes ACT/SAT Optional
http://www.kzoo.edu/news/test-optional/

New Jersey Testing Obsession is Damaging Learning and Teaching
http://www.centraljersey.com/articles/2015/03/20/hopewell_valley_news/your_views/doc54ee27ba19f42569846335.txt
Educators, Parents and Students Plan "Take Back the PARCC" Event
http://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2015/03/22/Test-in-for-parents-teachers-finds-they-re-testy-about-tests/stories/201503210166

New Mexico PARCC Protest at School Chief's House
http://www.koat.com/news/parcc-protest/31949350
New Mexico Teachers Question Times Devoted to Testing
http://www.sfreporter.com/santafe/article-10112-nea-disputes-parcc-testing-time.html

New York Billionaires' Plan to Remake Public Education
http://www.thenation.com/article/201881/9-billionaires-are-about-remake-new-yorks-public-schools-heres-their-story#
New York Governor Uses Flawed Tests as Political Weapon
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/opinion/valley-views/2015/03/21/flawed-tests-used-political-weapon/25099085/

North Dakota Opt-Out Movement Heats Up
http://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/education/opt-out-movement-heats-up-as-new-standardized-tests-loom/article_fe60d8f3-1265-5673-b873-4e3bd7a0d05d.html

Ohio Superintendent "Profoundly Concerned About New Common Core Tests"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2015/03/20/ohio-superintendent-i-am-profoundly-concerned-about-new-common-core-tests/
Excessive Testing Consumes Learning Time in Ohio
http://www.chroniclebulletin.com/local/excessive-tests-crimp-lesson-time-ohio-teachers-say-h10327.html

Oklahoma Teachers Slam Emphasis on State Tests
http://www.muskogeephoenix.com/news/local_news/teachers-slam-emphasis-put-on-state-testing/article_a0cbc3d6-d1e1-11e4-be1d-53c3240bd48d.html

Oregon House Passes Bill to Suspend Test Consequences for Teachers and Schools
http://www.opb.org/news/article/tests-wont-judge-teachers-schools-under-bill-approved-by-oregon-house/

Pennsylvania "Test In" Shows Parents, Teachers Question Value of New Exams
http://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2015/03/22/Test-in-for-parents-teachers-finds-they-re-testy-about-tests/stories/201503210166

Rhode Island Districts Have Large Numbers of Opt Outs
http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20150322/NEWS/150329749/1997/NEWS/

Texas Common Core Tests Are a Failure
http://www.gazettextra.com/20150323/jason_stanford_common_core_tests_are_failures
Texans Advocating for Meaningful Assessment (aka Mothers Against Drunk Testing) Powerpoint
http://dianeravitch.net/2015/03/24/texas-parents-act-out-against-high-stakes-testing/

Vermont State Board Will Not Use Smarter Balanced Scores to Evaluate Schools This Year
http://www.reformer.com/news/ci_27738827/vermont-will-not-use-standardized-test-scores

Virginia Governor Signs Bill Into Law Repealing A-F Grades
http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2015/03/23/virginia-governor-signs-into-law-repeal-of-a-f-school-grades/

Test Security vs Privacy in the Social Media Age
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/debate-over-test-security-vs-student-privacy-rages-in-the-age-of-social-media/2015/03/23/bbac030a-cf0c-11e4-a2a7-9517a3a70506_story.html

New Video "Defies Measurement" Available for Free
http://www.shineonpro.com/index.html

Parents of Disabled Children Tell National Groups: "You Do Not Speak for Our Children"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2015/03/20/you-do-not-speak-for-our-children/

"No Child Left Behind" Is a Cheats' Charter
http://www.newsweek.com/no-child-left-behind-cheats-charter-315557

The Cult-Like Religion of Corporate Ed Reform
http://www.chicagonow.com/chicago-public-fools/2015/03/the-cult-like-religion-of-corporate-education-reform/