Testing Resistance & Reform News: October 30 - November 5, 2019

New data from the National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) once again demonstrates that decades of test-and-punish schooling has failed to improve either academic quality or educational equity.  Though some states stubbornly continue to "stay the course" with failed policies, more and more are responding to pressure from parents, educators and community leaders to back off from standardized exam misuse and overuse.  Keep the pressure on!

National In Era of Common Core and Incessant Testing, NAEP English and Math Scores Remain Stagnant

Arizona Will New State Test Really Be an Improvement
https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/joannaallhands/2019/11/02/azmerit-ends-2021-how-make-next-arizona-standardized-test-better/2501613001/

Florida The "Haunted" Test that Traps Children in Third Grade
https://nancyebailey.com/2019/10/29/the-haunted-third-grade-classrooms-children-fear-enter-and-stay-forever/
Florida School Testing Lessens Students' Love of Reading
https://www.gainesville.com/news/20191104/jeanne-galligan-school-testing-lessens-students-love-of-reading

Georgia Plans to Overhaul School Ratings to Downplay Test Scores
https://www.ajc.com/news/local-education/why-georgia-looking-another-overhaul-report-card-for-schools/mJzoyJJv8KzhUtS6MschVN/#

Illinois School Report Cards Don't Paint True Picture of Educational Quality
https://wlds.com/news/ptacek-illinois-report-card-doesnt-paint-true-picture-of-district-117/

Maine Testing Used to Label Schools, Not Help Them
https://bangordailynews.com/2019/10/30/opinion/editorials/maine-on-right-track-with-standardized-testing-but-theres-room-for-improvement/

Michigan Student Success Is More Than a Standardized Exam Scores
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/2019/10/28/opinion-student-success-more-than-test-score/4076583002/
Michigan Retaining Third Grades Based on Tests is Regressive
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/2019/11/01/opinion-retaining-3rd-grade-students-test-score-regressive/4109469002/

New York Regents Begin Study of Need to Continue Graduation Exam
https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Regents-kicks-off-information-gathering-phase-14807835.php
New York Task Force to Examine NYC's Selective High Schools Admission Tests
https://www.silive.com/news/2019/10/task-force-to-study-inequities-in-nyc-specialized-high-schools.html

North Carolina School "Report Cards" Measure Poverty, Not Quality
https://www.wfae.org/post/school-shopping-demands-more-looking-grades-families-say

Pennsylvania Plan Cuts Weight of Student Test Scores in Teacher Evaluations
https://www.publicnewsservice.org/2019-10-30/education/bill-revamps-pa-teacher-evaluations/a68190-2
Pennsylvania No Single Measure of School Success
https://www.timesleader.com/opinion/editorials/760917/our-view-no-single-measure-for-school-success

South Carolina Too Many Tests Stress Students and Teachers
https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/opinion/2019/11/03/letter-how-students-teachers-feel-stress-too-many-tests/4109324002/

Washington New Options Allow High School Graduation Without Passing State Test
https://www.chinookobserver.com/news/state-providing-more-graduation-options/article_608ef1ec-fa74-11e9-a77e-6772418af72f.html

University Admission Groups Demand University of California Drop "Discriminatory" ACT/SAT Requirements
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-10-29/california-groups-demand-uc-drop-the-sat-saying-they-illegally-discriminate-against-disadvantaged-students
University Admissions Tests Like ACT/SAT Favor Students From Wealthy Families
https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/sat-act-standardized-tests-equity-socioeconomic-status-wealth-20191029.html

Bob Schaeffer, Public Education Director
FairTest: National Center for Fair & Open Testing
office-  (239) 395-6773    mobile-  (239) 699-0468
web-  http://www.fairtest.org