Why You Can Opt Out of Standardized Tests Without Fear of Penalties to Your School
From Fair Test:
States, districts and schools sometimes claim they will lose federal Title I funds if parents, students or teachers boycott standardized tests required under No Child Left Behind (NCLB). However, in summer 2015 the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) acknowledged it has no plans to penalize districts or schools by withholding funds. That was DOE’s response after few districts in New York State reached NCLB’s 95% minimum participation requirement. While DOE said it could withhold funds if states do not do enough to persuade parents to participate, the chances of that happening are effectively zero.
As far as we know, no school or district anywhere in the country has ever been penalized for failing to test enough of its students. Further, seven states (Utah, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington and California) have laws allowing opt out, and none have been sanctioned. In fact, Oregon made it easier for students to opt out in 2015, but DOE has done nothing. Neither has any state taken steps to cut funds to schools. New York State had threatened to do so, but like the feds backed down.
Therefore, parents, students and teachers should not fear harmful financial consequences to their schools due to federal law if Why You Can Opt Out of Standardized Tests Without Fear of Penalties to Your School | Seattle Education:
