Why I'm not opting my kids out of standardized tests
Published: April 17, 2013 at 3:02 PM (MST)
Some parents around the country are pulling their kids out of federally-mandated standardized tests this spring. They're hoping that by taking an individual stand against high-stakes testing, they can help change the system.
But opting out of testing is the wrong choice. By taking individual stands against testing, parents are reinforcing the corrosive belief that education is a consumer product. And they're making it easier for opponents to turn more citizens against their local schools.
The parents whom I've seen talk about opting out of tests strike me as well-informed, engaged parents who are wealthy enough to have both an Internet connection and the time to sit around and write about this stuff. Given that parents' income and education all but determine a student's test scores, this suggests to me that their kids would likely be scoring above average on their states' test.
If those kids opt out, their schools' and districts' test scores will decline, helping education "reformers" portray those schools and districts as failing.
If parents succeed in getting other parents to opt out, their school might find itself no longer meeting the minimum participation thresholds mandated by federal and state laws. Congratulations, you've just cost your school a bunch of money, which will lead to more layoffs, larger class sizes, less individual attention and probably, more punitive testing as the school tries to "earn" its funding back.
A boycott only works is if enough families pull out in enough schools, in enough districts, in enough states, that the federal government is forced to change the system. As anyone who's ever worked for a paycheck ought to know, a strike works only when the factory shuts down. If you're out on the picket line alone, you're only hurting yourself.So how do we get what we want? The same way unions have for a century and more -- we organize. Whether it's joining a national group such as the Network for Public Education or a local organization such as Invest in PUSD Kids, parents will change public education only by working together, and not by
But opting out of testing is the wrong choice. By taking individual stands against testing, parents are reinforcing the corrosive belief that education is a consumer product. And they're making it easier for opponents to turn more citizens against their local schools.