Blind, severely disabled boy forced to take standardized test
There are many distressing stories about high-stakes standardized tests, but this may be the most hideous I have heard. This involves the issue of who must take state standardized tests, and whether parents have a right to opt out their children from the testing. In Florida, opting out is extremely hard to do. This post was written by veteran educator Marion Brady, who in 2011 introduced us to Rick Roach, the Orange County school board member who took a version of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. Roach is back in this post.Brady, a classroom teacher for years, has written history and world culture textbooks (Prentice-Hall), professional books, numerous nationally distributed columns (many areavailable here), and courses of study. His 2011 book, “What’s Worth Learning,” asks and answer this question: What knowledge is absolutely essential for every learner? His course of study for secondary-level students, called Connections: Investigating Reality, is free for downloading here. Brady’s website is www.marionbrady.com.
By Marion Brady
Remember Rick Roach? He’s the Orange County, Florida, school board member I wrote on The Answer Sheet a while ago. Upset by the fact that thousands of kids in Orange County with excellent academic records were failing Florida’s annual high-stakes test and suffering dire consequences, he took a test similar to the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT).
He squeaked by the reading portion with a grade of 62, but failed the math section, this despite the fact that he has two masters degrees, a successful career behind him, and is in