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Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Randi & Lily: Why all the smoke-and-mirrors about new law's opt-out provisions?

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Randi & Lily: Why all the smoke-and-mirrors about new law's opt-out provisions?:

Randi & Lily: Why all the smoke-and-mirrors about new law's opt-out provisions?

ESSA allows parents to opt a student out of required assessments for any reason. -- AFT
ESSA maintains the right of parents to opt their children out of statewide academic assessments and allows states to limit the amount of time students spend taking annual tests. -- NEA
These requirements do not allow students to be excluded from statewide assessments. -- D.O.E.
Are teacher union leaders shooting straight with us about ESSA, the new federal education act? Or have they just not read the bill they've worked so hard to sell to teachers and parents?
 
AFT and NEA leaders would have us believe that the new law eliminates test-and-punish requirements and allows for parents and students to opt out of continuing No Child Left Behind testing madness. 

Is that really true?

Here's AFT's take on the new law: