Friday, February 6, 2015

Write Congress to demand less testing, an end to high stakes. | FairTest #ESEA

Write Congress to demand less testing, an end to high stakes. | FairTest:

Write Congress to demand less testing, an end to high stakes.

Your voice can help make a difference! Use this letter to urge your Senators and Representative in the U.S. Congress to support a reduction in standardized testing to once each in elementary, middle and high schools, while ending punitive sanctions. The House and Senate education committees plan to start re-writing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (also known as NCLB) by mid-February. You can strengthen your message by adding your own comments, such as your and your children’s personal experiences with overtesting.

Thank you.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION (PLEASE READ):

United Opt Out National (UOO) supports neither of these bills:http://unitedoptout.com/…/united-opt-out-public-letter-to-…/

The Network for Public Education (NPE) supports Option 1:http://www.networkforpubliceducation.org/…/network-for-pub…/
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Congress is moving swiftly.

The House plans a committee vote in the next two weeks followed by full House floor debate the last week of February. Education Committee Chairman John Kline supports testing every grade. Those of us who want grade-span testing and flexibility must over-ride Kline in committee or win a floor amendment. Rep. Gibson's grade-span testing bill provides a vehicle.

In the Senate, the HELP committee is expected to act before the end of the month with the full Senate taking it up shortly after. Chair Alexander's 'Option 1' on assessment provides a vehicle, but he also has 'Option 2' which retains every-grade testing.

In both cases, however, it will not be easy to win. Our only real chance is grassroots pressure.

*** DEMAND LESS TESTING AND AN END TO HIGH STAKES. ***

Link to our latest call for people to contact their Senators and Representatives.
Send your email now!
http://www.fairtest.org/roll-back-standardized-testing-send…

Thanks,
Monty Neill, Executive Director
FairTest