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Monday, January 4, 2016

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Speaking of Testing...

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Speaking of Testing...:

Speaking of Testing...





A couple of items to consider.

From Seattle Opt Out:

KINDERGARTEN PARENTS IN SEATTLE: Do you know that today, Jan. 4, the testing window for MAP opens in schools that are choosing to administer it? 

Most of the parents we've encountered WERE NOT INFORMED of this. Many have been confused about what is happening--principals are saying that they're "leaving it up to teachers," teachers are saying "my principal encouraged me to administer it," no one downtown at the District is answering the phone to get to the bottom of it, and many PTAs are simply unaware of the window having opened. 

Confusion is part of the high-stakes game; it makes it more challenging to organize an opt-out campaign if no one really knows what the hell is going on. On the District's website it is listed as "required" next to the Jan 4-29 MAP for Kindergarten assessment. THIS IS CONFUSING, TOO, because it DOESN'T MEAN THAT STUDENTS ARE 'REQUIRED' TO TAKE IT! You can opt out! 

You can even call your child's school, right now, and opt out verbally (per OSPI! Opt outs do not have to be in writing, no kidding). Or, tomorrow, you can send a handwritten note to your child's teacher or principal saying this:


Dear ________________,

I would like to opt my child out of the MAP test during their kindergarten year. This includes make-up tests. Please provide a place for them to look at books, draw, or engage in another meaningful school activity.

You can reach me at ___-____-_____ or _______@____ if you have any questions. Thank you.
As well, there is this article from Education Week about the new ESSA (Every Student Achieves Act, formerly NCLB) rules on testing.

The questions are hanging over a provision of the Every Student Succeeds Act that lets states measure high school achievement with college-entrance exams instead of standards-based assessments.
That's because most states' current tests are based on their academic standards and are built to measure mastery of those standards. Moving to a college-entrance exam such as the SAT or ACT, which are designed to predict the likelihood of students' success in college, would mean that states had chosen instead to measure college readiness.
Yes, using the ACT or SAT, rather than, I assume, SBAC or PARCC (depending Seattle Schools Community Forum: Speaking of Testing...: