Opt Out Orlando webinar will give Florida parents tools to skip testing
Opt Out Orlando is co-hosting a webinar |
Opt Out Orlando, a group that opposes standardized testing, is holding a webinar this weekend to provide step-by-step instructions for parents who don't want their children tested.
"If they go to their district or school, they will be told no, you can't opt out. They will learn steps on how to do it," said Cindy Hamilton, one of the group's cofounder. Opt Out Orlando has about 860 members on Facebook.
However, state statute does not allow students to opt out -- standardized testing is mandatory. Some students are eligible to be assessed by portfolios, but that does not excuse them from the FCAT, according to the Florida Department of Education.
The Opt Out message has resonated, however, and Hamilton has helped 10 Opt Out groups form in other parts of Florida.
She will lead the webinar with Kathleen Jasper, a former assistant principal from the Fort Myers area who founded ConversationED, a blog about education policy and issues.
The webinar, which Hamilton and Jasper hope will attract 1,000 participants from Florida and beyond, will be held Sunday at 4 p.m. Those interested in participating, or watching later, can register on the the ConversationED site.
