As Long As You’re Filling Out School Forms – How About One For Opting Out?
HB1490 is a first step towards reclaiming local control of education. Unfortunately it did not do away with standardized testing so districts will be giving the SBAC tests next spring (2015). They will be referred to as pilot tests. These are tests that have no validity or reliability data to prove that they measure what they claim to measure. The developers are just now trying to figure out cut scores for proficiency by asking teachers to give their opinion on where it should be set. Sounds real scientific. If Missouri is developing its own standards and now, by law, must have a new test aligned to those standards, the SBAC tests will not be with us long which is even more reason why taking these pilot tests a waste of your child’s time. Maybe it’s time to fill out an Opt Out form and submit it to your child’s school along with all the other forms they want you to fill out.
The ACLU was looking into mounting a legal challenge to forced standardized testing in 2012. They were looking for parents whose children received a penalty/threats for opting out of testing. I couldn’t find an update on where they are, but if you want to participate in the complaint they asked you to send the following:
- your story
- permission to join in on the ACLU complaint
- your return address
- a signature on a hard copy
Submit to: Nina Bishop, 3065 Windward Way, Colorado Springs, CO 80917
Questions: 719-233-1508
Questions: 719-233-1508
Last year was the first year that parents tried in earnest to opt out of testing so it seems reasonable that there weren’t that many threats before 2013. However, thirty thousand parents did opt their kids out of the New York tests this spring and none of those kids were expelled or suspended.
That’s not to say the picture is all rosy. There are plenty of schools that are attempting to As Long As You’re Filling Out School Forms – How About One For Opting Out? | Missouri Education Watchdog: