Testing Resistance & Reform News: May 23 - 29, 2013
The pushback against high-stakes testing continues to score significant victories across the nation. More and more state legislatures, school boards, parents, teachers, administrators and students now agree, "Enough is Enough!"
Each week thousands of activists rely on FairTest resources (http://www.fairtest.org, click on "Get Involved") as well as these news updates for their local campaigns. Please help us support the growing movement for real assessment reform by donating whatever you can at: http://tinyurl.com/TestingResistance
Here are this week's top stories:
Enough! Facing Backlash, From Parents, Texas Cuts Back Standardized Testing
http://openchannel.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/27/18534023-enough-facing-backlash-from-parents-texas-cuts-back-on-student-testing?lite
What's in Texas' $500 Million Contract with Pearson
http://kutnews.org/post/what-s-texas-500-million-testing-contract-pearson
Exit Exams May Be on Way Out
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/22/exit-exams-high-school-diploma/2351009/
Why Schools Should Stop Using Exit Exams
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/05/28/why-schools-should-stop-using-exit-exams/
Providence Mayor Opposes State Grad Test Requirement
http://www.wpri.com/dpp/news/local_news/mcgowan/taveras-opposes-necap-grad-requirement
Fort Wayne Schools Reject State Test Result, Call for Review of Assessment Policies
http://www.fortwayne.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130523/NEWS/320126372
Indiana Legislature Will Investigate Failure of Computerized Testing System
http://www.nipr.fm/post/state-committee-will-investigate-istep-issues
New York Principals Criticize New Common Core Tests
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/05/23/ny-principals-why-new-common-core-tests-failed/
Parents React to Pearson's "Field Tests"
http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130525/CITYANDREGION/130529399/1002
Field Tests Raise Concern That School Exams Are Now a Corporate Product
http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130525/CITYANDREGION/130529399/1002
"No to Field Testing, Yes to Learning" Organizing Kit
http://changethestakes.wordpress.com/2013/05/23/say-yes-to-learning-and-no-to-field-testing/
Pay Kids to Take "Field Tests" -- NYTimes Letter-to-the-Editor
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/28/opinion/pay-kids-to-take-tests.html
Parents' Civil Rights Complaint Challenges NYC High School Admissions Test for Racial Bias
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/suit-high-school-admissions-racially-biased-article-1.1348628
Advocates Protest $66 Million Tax Break for Pearson Testing Company
http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2013/05/demonstration_in_hoboken_plann.html
New North Carolina Exams Test Teachers in More Ways Than One
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/05/25/4063937/new-nc-exams-test-teachers-in.html
How Has High-Stakes Testing Affected South Carolina Children?
http://www.cvedu2020.org/what-is-high-stakes-testing-and-how-does-it-affect-your-child/
Award Winning Virginia Teacher Says "I Can No Longer Cooperate with Testing Regime"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/05/26/award-winning-virginia-teacher-i-can-no-longer-cooperate-with-testing-regime/
Virginia Father Learns How to Opt Son out of State Standardized Testing
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/prince-william-father-learns-how-to-opt-out-of-standardized-test/2013/05/26/8af0165c-c310-11e2-8c3b-0b5e9247e8ca_story.html
Virginia Online Tests Disrupted by Internet Problems
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/fairfax-county-online-standards-tests-hampered-by-internet-problems/2013/05/23/74d0c440-c412-11e2-914f-a7aba60512a7_allComments.html
On Teacher Evaluation: Slow Down and Get it Right
http://shankerblog.org/?p=8358
Teacher "Accountability" -- A Telling Animation
http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2013/05/teacher-accountability-video.html
What Candidate Obama Said About Standardized Testing in 2008
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/05/27/what-obama-said-back-then-about-standardized-tests/
Assessment That Supports Learning and Teaching: A Short Video on the Mission Hill School
http://www.fairtest.org/assessment-supports-education-short-video-mission
Calling Out the Testing Bullies
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/finding_common_ground/2013/05/calling_out_the_testing_bullies.html
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