P is for PARCC, Pearson and Pushback (and Peeps)
Before the first day of PARCC testing, the results are in. Push back against indefensible state policies and the state will crack.
The special time you’ve been waiting for has at last arrived, boys and girls. It’s PARCC testing week! Think Easter but with a few key differences. Like instead of hunting for eggs, you’re after *college and career readiness.* Also, those Peeps in your basket aren’t for realz but are being *piloted* to help determine what should go in your basket next year. Which is to say that it’s never a good idea to put all of the kids’ eggs in one basket, even if the state’s chief educational standards bunny happens to serve as the chair of an egg distributor. 
PARCC: In an eggshell First some answers to your questions: like is she really going to force us to endure an extended Easter metaphor that has little if any relevance to PARCC testing? No reader, because we have more important eggs to fry. You see, starting today, 200,000 young Bay Staters are taking a new, outstandingly predictive test that is so *highly aligned* with college and career readiness that the words college and career readiness are in the name of the actual test. Today’s test drive will help the state determine whether the test is the right 21st century test for the state’s 21st century test takers. Which raises our first high-stakes question: what about 21st century test takes who refuse to take the 21st century test?
In which the state clarifies its clarification
As we learned last year, *there is no provision in Massachusetts state law for parents to ‘opt out’ of the annual statewide assessment program.* Last week the stateclarified it’s position, again, to the effect that if parents should persist in exercising this non-provision, principals should gently but firmly encourage parents to rethink their refusal, reminding them *that students’ and teachers’ experiences will help the state decide whether PARCC is a worthwhile assessment.* And then the kicker: *When P is for PARCC, Pearson and Pushback (and Peeps) | EduShyster:
As we learned last year, *there is no provision in Massachusetts state law for parents to ‘opt out’ of the annual statewide assessment program.* Last week the stateclarified it’s position, again, to the effect that if parents should persist in exercising this non-provision, principals should gently but firmly encourage parents to rethink their refusal, reminding them *that students’ and teachers’ experiences will help the state decide whether PARCC is a worthwhile assessment.* And then the kicker: *When P is for PARCC, Pearson and Pushback (and Peeps) | EduShyster:
