Testing Resistance & Reform News: September 6 - 12, 2017

Arizona Educators Worry That New School Grading System Won't Convey Useful Information
http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-education/2017/09/07/educators-worry-arizonas-new-school-grade-system-too-complicated/638080001/
Arizona Test Scores Don't Tell the Whole Story
http://tucson.com/opinion/letters/schools/letter-azmerit-test-scores-don-t-tell-the-whole-picture/article_38912f48-94c8-11e7-919a-c79edf764f8c.html

Connecticut Test Score Misuse Fuels Teacher Shortages
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Wendy-Lecker-Fueling-the-teacher-shortage-12183955.php

Florida Candidates Must Grasp Why Educators Oppose Standardized Tests
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/os-ed-why-educators-do-not-like-standardized-tests-20170906-story.html

Hawaii Schools Try Out New Test to Measure Students' Character
http://khon2.com/2017/09/05/hawaii-schools-among-group-implementing-new-test-to-measure-students-character/

Indiana Superintendent's Letter to Parents Explains Why Test Scores Are Irrelevant
http://www.journalgazette.net/opinion/columns/20170908/nacs-outlines-for-parents-irrelevance-of-istep

Louisiana State Resumes Discredited "Value Added" Teacher Evaluations
http://vamboozled.com/much-of-the-same-in-louisiana/

Massachusetts Testing Comes Under Fire Again
http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/news/ci_31297093/standardized-testing-comes-under-fire-again-mass
Massachusetts Test Scores Don't Tell the Real Story
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2017/09/06/test-scores-dont-tell-the-whole-story.html
Massachusetts Selective High Schools Would Be More Diverse If They Did Not Rely on Admissions Exams
http://news.wgbh.org/2017/09/05/local-news/boston-public-school-students-may-be-disadvantage-getting-boston-latin

Michigan How One District Looks Beyond Testing to Real World Learning
http://michiganradio.org/post/how-one-school-district-looks-beyond-standardized-tests-toward-real-world-flexible-learning

Montana Senator Speaks Out Against Standardized Exams
http://www.sidneyherald.com/news/tester-speaks-against-standardized-tests/article_ab3e2874-91a9-11e7-8563-d7c10c6d629e.html

New York New State ESSA Campaign Reduces Emphasis on Tests to Assist Struggling Schools
https://dailygazette.com/article/2017/09/11/state-tries-to-shift-focus-away-from-school-tests

North Carolina Public School Standardized Testing Misses the Point
http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/editorials/article171640927.html

Ohio Invest in Children, Not Tests
https://www.ohio.com/akron/editorial/voice-of-the-people/letters-to-the-editor-sept-9-invest-in-children-not-tests-what-if-columbus-had-been-pc 

South Carolina Testing Stresses: A Student Perspective
http://www.thecolumbiastar.com/news/2017-09-08/Education/Testing_Stresses.html

Texas Seeking Public Input on District-Level Accountability
https://communityimpact.com/austin/georgetown/education/2017/09/13/georgetown-isd-will-seek-public-input-district-level-accountability-system/

Virginia Test Score Fixation is Obstacle to Educational Progress
https://pilotonline.com/opinion/letters/letter-obstacles-in-u-s-education/article_c68dd0ca-e640-57ac-9646-11cfd56fbb5e.html

Washington Students Can Apply for Waiver From Graduation Testing Requirement
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/politics-government/article170877672.html

University Admissions ACT Exam Cancelled in Many Overseas Locations Due to Cheating
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2017/09/07/security-breach-forces-act-test-cancellation-in-asia-and-weather-causes-some-in-u-s/
University Admissions Bloomfield College to Become Test-Optional
https://www.tapinto.net/towns/nutley/categories/news/articles/bloomfield-college-to-become-test-optional-with-f-1
University Admissions Who Benefits From the Expansion of AP Classes?
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/07/magazine/who-benefits-from-the-expansion-of-ap-classes.html

Worth Reading Districts Increase Formative Assessments, Reduce High-Stake Exams
https://www.districtadministration.com/article/k12-makes-assessment-shifts 
Worth Reading "These Schools Belong to You and Me" New Book Co-Authored by FairTest Board Member Deb Meier
http://www.beacon.org/These-Schools-Belong-to-You-and-Me-P1294.aspx
Worth Reading New Tool Alerts Teachers When Students Give Up on Tests
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2017/09/06/new-tool-alerts-teachers-when-students-give.html

Worth Watching (corrected link) The Insanity of Kindergarten Assessments
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qu40uvGSKwE

Bob Schaeffer, Public Education Director
FairTest: National Center for Fair & Open Testing
office-   (239) 395-6773   fax-  (239) 395-6779
mobile- (239) 699-0468
web-  http://www.fairtest.org