3. ·,·.{ 78.. , _
TASK O•NE . EXPLAINING THE PROBLEM (001!Ttl.JUED).
(
7
8 What disagreements, if any, are there in your community about
this ~oblem and the way it is being handled?
e- G O-
1 O For each individual, group, or organization you identify, answer the following questions.
Use a separate sheet of paper for your answers,
" What is their position on the problem?
«> Why are they interested?
«> What are the advantages of their position?
• What are the disadvantages of their position?
., How are they trying to influence government to adopt their view?
11 What level of government or government agency is responsible
for 9ealing with this problem? W,hy_?
e
12 What is the government doing about the problem?
ß~ O'f: ffl~ :Pcg:;
C','l 2009 Center for Civic Education
(
4. ·,·.{ 78.. , _
TASK O•NE . EXPLAINING THE PROBLEM (001!Ttl.JUED).
(
7
8 What disagreements, if any, are there in your community about
this ~oblem and the way it is being handled?
e- G O-
1 O For each individual, group, or organization you identify, answer the following questions.
Use a separate sheet of paper for your answers,
" What is their position on the problem?
«> Why are they interested?
«> What are the advantages of their position?
• What are the disadvantages of their position?
., How are they trying to influence government to adopt their view?
11 What level of government or government agency is responsible
for 9ealing with this problem? W,hy_?
e
12 What is the government doing about the problem?
ß~ O'f: ffl~ :Pcg:;
C','l 2009 Center for Civic Education
(
6. 4/1312015 PAR CC Is unfair to special needs students I West Miiford HelJIÄtt Nevioundland NJ I Letters to the Editor
..
(
. Io LE-am More
· Ciiek He're · ·
Cnll for Spr.•clr1ls!
behalf of the student to learn something new.
The common difficulties students with disabilities face daily have not been taken into account with the
PARCC testing. These difficulties are: speaking, reading, comprehension, processing, memory, executive
Tho does the PARCC testing hurt the most? The students who are most vulnerable.
e .• bg1lEhlRVJ~ltWJ~"¥t~1~iª11flf~,~~¡',JlW~--S.î~
. . These students are expected to sit and d(ï110ÎlÍiÎÎg'fu'rt ecturatlon of the testing. 'l11e "sit
and stare" iolicy i~ a direct punitive action that will negatively impact the special education populatlon,I
BØ ·.'i., ··~~~~_Jl'g"ff" . , the sit and stare policy will just increase the anxiety.
I implore school districts not to utilize suc 1gmatizing tactic. Offer the students who have parent refusals
for the PARCC an nlternative activity.
Mary Laumbach-Perez is a volunteer educational advocate for students with special needs. Professionally she
is a nationally certified Employment Services Provider with 10 years of experience working with the
developmental disabilities and special education population. She has 15 years experience studying Hidden
Disabilities: Learning and Developmental. Laumbach-Perez is also the founder of a non-profit special
education coalition. Through the coalition., she has partnered with professionals to offer special education
workshops to New Jersey parent groups. The opinions expressed in this article are her own and do not
express the opinions of her employer or other professionals she has partnered with.
,.
Tweet ShareThls
Comments
Wise Monkey Rules
See no evil read critically before posting: Are
you "on topic?" Have you added value?
Hear no evil the sound and tone of your
comment should be clvll and thoughtful
Speak no evil do not post anything you know
to be untrue or disparaging
,¡
http://v>Æstmllfordmessenger.com'apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20150213/0PINION03'150219972/PARCC-is-unfair-to-speclal-needs-students 2/3
7. ßré~ J :roa¡'
-T-cr,e0e~-tr·
E mmGAle t.
....... - ... . ectç_~'{'_ç~-- . Q(~ ~,~~ t) 'tfOùtf'{, e
..-.- .... . -·· ..--.....ru 9º~{,l(Yíl'QtfA- b'f ~'('V~ ,~~{;~'~ I t'.,-(Y) Q Y'~
....peo?~ . _é5 .. g,Jrg píf"se0 -2+,'.(C.
9. Many critics say the questions
are too confusing and the
format is too complex,
especially for younger students.
Lila said she wanted to take the
PARCC exams, despite her
mother's concerns, until she
took a practice test at school.
She was confused by a question
asking about the underlying
teme of a sentence in a story,
she said. Another question
directed her to select the best
answer when she thought none
of the answers were great, she
recalled.
An "opt our: shirt worn by Mrntclair parent Colleen Martine, at the New
Jersey Board of Education meeting (!'dam Clark I NJ Aívance ~dta
for NJ.com)
"Notonlywas it hard, the questions were reallycomplicated and they were, like,
deceiving,"said Lila,13. "Eventually,once I had deciphered what they wanted, I had to
rush to he able to finish it."
Lilanowagrees with her mom thatshe shouldn't take the test. In addition to findingit
confusing,she says practice tests are taking awayfrom instructional time.
"Wehave alwaystold her, 'We are goingto do what wcthink is hest foryou,' "Evans
said. "I do not think taking the PARCCis hest for her."
In Montclair, parents have urged the schoolhoard to adopt a policyallowingstudents
whowant to skip the test to receive other learning opportunities during testing periods.
A vote is expected at Monday's school board meeting.
No state policy
In California,state law has long given parents the right to opt students out of tests, said
BohSchaeffer,public education director for FairTest/the National Center for Fair
and Open Testing (http://www.fairtest.org1 a national advocacygroup.
Butthe issue is so new that most states, likeNewJersey, have no legalor regulatory
guidance on how to handle a student refusing to take a test for nonreligious reasons, he
said.
"In most cases, it is unplowed ground," Schaeffersaid.
A memo Hespe sent to schools in October suggestingthatthey consult their disciplinary
policieswas widelyinterpreted hy opt-out advocatesas advising schoolsto punish
students who cometo school but refuse to take the test.
Hespe later clarifiedthe state's stance in January, saying not everyrefusal to take the
tests should he considered a disciplinary problem.
"Certainlyif a student comes in and they arc disruptive, you should applyyour own
disciplinary policy,"Hespe said. "If they are not disruptive, you should havea policyon
what you do with that child."
The BloomfieldBoard of Education passed a resolution in October sayingthe district
won't punish students who skip the tests and willprovide alternatives, when possible.
"Wethought it was necessary to have an idea in mind early in the schoolyear ofwhat
wcwere goingto do," hoard President DanielAnderson said. "Weare not promoting it
or condoning it, hut the reality is some parents maywant to have their child refusethe
test."
Becauseadministering the tests is required under law,districts must tell students that
the tests are mandatory, regardless of howthey plan to handle those who refuse to take
them, said Richard Bozza,executivedirector ofthe NewJersey Association of School
Administrators.
10. 4/15/2015 The 12 Reasons We Oppose the PARCC Test I Sae Our Schools NJ
I~e 12 Rea!tflns We Opp()sethe}'.ARCC Te~t
.Just in time for Christmas, we bring you ...
The 12 Reasons We Oppose the PARCC Test
1. PARCC is poorly designed & confusing
Why?
J.Kf4t~1eg~1&~~îtN§!'.§tz[£~:r:ª~l~'lJ~f~.~J.!~.w~~¿f~J(.@);'.~;t},1&~1Y(multiple-choice and EBSR). These item types
are most appropriate for testing very low-level skills ( e.g., recall of factual detail). However, on
these tests, such item formats are pressed into a kind of service for which they are, generally,
>[¡¡Jlk11'ifi'· ~,· ,-,· '"f;~î,ø~Ínot appropriate. , ·,~{~ · -é, o .,,
¡tl~~~¥fd@l§i~E~~'1$<',.Ü ,. se: .. :n;~.¥!'!
$01 the questions are supposed to deal with higher-order thinking, and
. i :""'' 1 ·•fli'Wtfil!~t~~á'~WtTØ,nsI;.eJl'aFtl'tí}15eif:ffíTexth;:ro:tdlt· ...- y,, ., ··-~ .., ... .u.-£if.Mtf!.·~~~u.1;0,.;.¡~.¡'x~.i'l.~;;.~~~~t~.::d:..~·
· rtf,,,1§.r · ,?, all because the "experts" who designed these tests didn't understand the
most basic stuff about creating assessments-that objective question formats are generally not
great for testing higher-order thinking, for example." i
3. PARCCis diagnostically & instructionally useless
"Many kinds of assessment-diagnostic assessment, formative assessment, performative
assessment, some classroom summative assessment-has instructional value. They can be used
to inform instruction and/or are themselves instructive.
The results of [the PARCC]tests are not broken down in any way that is of diagnostic or
instructional use.
http:/lwNN.sa1ÆOurschool snj .org/2014/12/23/th~ 12-reasons-~-oppos~ the-parce-test/ 1/4
11. 4/1512015 The 12 Reasons We Oppose the PAR CC Test I Sa1.e our Schools NJ
(
questions of those kinds, and the time spent on reporting, data analysis, data chats, proctoring,
and other test housekeeping." i
S. PARCCwill further distori: curricula and teaching
"The tests drive how and what people teach, and they drive much of what is created by
curriculum developers ...Those distortions are grave. In U.S. curriculum development today, the
tail is wagging the dog." i
6. PARCC & other high-stakes standardized tests undermine students' creativity and
desire to learn
The research on motivation and creativity is very clear: externally imposed punishment and
reward systems, like those associated with high-stakes standardized testing, suppress our
intrinsic motivation, dramatically undermining creativity and love of learning.
High-stakes standardized tests also suppress motivation and creativity because the endless test
preparation narrows the curriculum and creates a boring learning environment, filled with anxiety
and fear.
(
1: PARCC & other high-stakes standardized tests have an enormous financial cost
"qfffl~-2'0'1~Ø'k''1far~Wi~~~f1Q.~íllf&l!tôº'-ll'ä'tfé'if5får*f'å'füiz'ê~~:t_e;siii'm'~'ôîfb" With the Comm on
Core State Standards tests, this cost increases substantially.
ïftß:ê}_ë.AJ?¡l@~§:~B~t~r:ª~@b'~-~¡f'g~flv!'fg.@6f:tf1Yö.&r~.lfEqz!3iJ1J~[ll~.9mläf to th e Pearson [Corpo rat ion l i n th e
first three years, and you have to add the cost of [the Smarter Balanced Common Core
Assessment] and the other state tests (another billion and a half?), to that.
~JWB'V.'·~"9.~l~~Xlf"';,t.trä~:f~~tl@tW~f'·rn~T~lfe~1~~~"-:··-· 7
·· • · ~ ·. · te .u rades that:·wil~·
'~~~~~~~~~~~·~1~~~~~~~~11~-1-~'
1ffl1ï{1~~:rn~m~~Y2!.~.âJi:cQQ1-m.1:)~~.i?.:.lt§E1,~B.nP:tYJflbåf.~mattef$.rOn making sure that poor kids have eye
exams and warm clothes and food in their bellies, on making sure that libraries are open and that
schools have nurses on duty to keep kids from dying. How many dead kids is all this testing
worth, given that it is, again, of no instructional value?
IF THE ANSWER TO THAT IS NOT OBVIOUS TO YOU, YOU SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED ANYWHERE
NEAR A SCHOOL OR AN EDUCATIONAL POLICY-MAKING DESK." i I
~-
8. PARCC is completely experimental. lt has not been validated as accurate & yet it will
be used to evaluate students, schools and teachers
http:/fwN>N. sa1.eOurscl1ool snj .org /2014/12/23/the--12-reasons-we-oppose- the-par cc- testi 2/4
12. 4/1512015 The 12 Reasons We Oppose the PAR CC Test I Sa1.e Our Schools NJ
, , both generally and specifically (that is, with regard to specific
materials and/or skills being tested).
9. PARCC & other high-stakes standardized tests are abusive to our children
· , '.,::../;,;-;~:· · ' ·· ·· '·..~,-,,, .:·JfctJzed<fä.$ts:~6r,;Jnflict.Lng::ih.ªr:JiLí~I
'-•' •_.,,.· .J ¿,g;. .~
10. PARCCwill worsen the achievement and gender gaps
. ",,,..·,:»·· ,''ëîit~·fí_ël~fj¡¡':êl'ñ'd ë'rf!H~~Yp'."§"1i'nt~Hú'èfäíti'ótral'iaertøt11)1çl1jfC"ê'.fäif'g~Íå'f~g•:.,,èWiV0d'êl~för'&J... ,.,. . ' ~ . -~ ·-· • /,:¡_._:· .. -.J~~·:;f.::,,_ ..,_~.;:>::.;-:.: ;;, .... ,, -·· . . . .., ..·.. ,. . .... ;,.
, and these tests and the curricula and pedagogical strategies tied to them are
extremely demotivating. They create new expectations and new hurdles that will widen existing
gaps, not close them."
· tr:0tñ¡êr'~'®b~miS*~6i1'eió'í?ei'i;~~'ämg¡.wa¥r1Je·~tfftlr.ë1{re·g'irW'ê'ti't~fl'8Wt~¥i'tí~'§t:á;-rn'ru·a~finiz·afü~m~,,
..., which will further turn off kids already turned off by school, causing more to tune out
and drop out." i
11. High-stakes standardized tests fail to improve educational outcomes
"We have had more than a decade, now, of standards-and-testing-based accountability under
[No Child Left Behind]. We have seen only miniscule increases in outcomes, and those are well
within the margin of error of the calculations. Simply from the ,,;~;~'-Ætë'; 7;.;...,.,..fä, ,·qy:¡ç1_~i~'ª-','ril
- , fÏJ:~&~l~.~ili11' And that[$.~ú~l~-~t~~fäj'.fü~tft~{!fü~;§:~tnx:rL -- K.:..~:;f , , '~--,¿¿:, -,~::.;;" '-- ,· ..··~,-~·-·
,• ,.. ,, ""·"" ; ~~·. :., which is consistent with what we know about the demotivational effects of extrinsic
punishment and reward systems. It's the height of stupidity to look at a clearly failed approach
and to say, 'Gee, we should do a lot more of them."' i
12. PARCCand Smarter Balanced Common Core aligned tests are designed to brand the
majority of our children as failures
•.. '.lf,.. ~~4t1Q_.·:·"·:.'5. ·îm.Ja'i/if.....~.Æß.~Îi~.·-1'..~.·~.;r~.'~~.:z.mf_~t®:'. . ....·~-~r,.·.Jb.:'.'6··..m.:.'fu.·..P'"'..·"'''..···..- .-. ·
l···~:~~~~fféM.r¢::'.~-,fi1á'füi¡~1f~~ f«li:h~~BHé1'fB'ä
http:/lvwvvv.sa1ÆOurschoolsnj.org /2014/12123/the-12-reasons-'Ae-oppose- the-parce- test/ 3/4
13. 4/15/2015 The 12 Reasons We Oppose the PAR CC Test I Sa1.e Our schoos NJ
( '
The PARCC test will set its cut scores next summer, but it is very likely to follow the same
pattern, creating a false narrative of failure and causing great harm to our children and our public
schools.
Source: http://dianeravitch.net/ .. ./bob-shepherd-why-parcc-testing-i .. ./
11
Source: httn..;.L.Lwww.edweek.orgLJ;warticles/2014/11/17 /13sbac.h34.html
Iii Source: bltn..;.L/dianeravitch. net/ ... /how-pearsons-common-core-tests..:.a,d
PDF Version of this post.
Available for Facebook sharing nere.
sharer
. (
3 Responses to The 12 Reasons We Oppose the PARCC Test
Pingback: New }ersev Blogger Mel Katz Gives All The Reasons For Opt-Out To Superintendent!!! I Exceptional Delaware
Pingback: .12 Reasons to Refuse PARCCI Diane Ravltch's blog
Pingback: Ed News, Fridav, March 6, 2015 Edition I tlqersteach
@ 2015 - Save Our Schools NJ
(
http:/fw.N.N.saveourschocl snj .org/2014112/23/tlie-12-r easons-ve-oppose- the-parce-test/ 4/4
14. A reporting project of
State Board of Education on Public Corrplalntsover PARCC Test J statenpæt Ohio4/1312015
OHIO
~
Eye 011 E.clucéltíon
member stations
State Board of Education on Public
Complaints over PARCC Test
MARCH11, 201514:28 PM
BY MARK URYCKI
Ohio public schools are in their third week
of issuing standardized teste; for students in
fourth throuqh sixth grades, eighth grade,
and high school.
The state legislature passed a law one year
ago that eliminates any ramifications for the
pupils in this first year of the test.
But that hasn't calmed down members of
the state board of education at their
.1eeting tbis week.
ABOUT STATEIMPACT OHIO
StatehnpactOhio is a collaboration among
WCPN,WKSU and WOSU. Reporters Amy
Hansen and Mark Urycki travel the state to
report on the state of education in Ohio, where
it's heading, and how it affects you. Readtheir
reports on this site and listen to them on public
racliostations across Ohio.
UrlYCKI
District 11 member Maryl~ose oakar of Cleveland
(foregrouncl)tellinI) Sen. PeggyLehner (hack)about
public complarnts over PAACCtost.
It's known as the PAf~CC test, which stands
for Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers.
Listen to the Radio Staty
lDNnlwJ
with few problems so far says Jim Wright of the Ohio Department of Education.
"Overall with the number of tests we have given right now there are over 850 thousand
tests that have been completed, 600 thousand in math and ELA [English Language Arts]
and over 250 thousand in science and social studies. So I think it shows that a lot of
schools and districts are doing successfully."
But Board of Education members aren't so sure. Mary Rose Oakar of Cleveland turned to
State Senator Peggy Lehner and said there must be some issues with the test rollout.
"Otherwise I wouldn't be getting boxes of test mania, letters from thoughtful parents,
students, teachers," Oakar said. "I mean, boxes."
"Yeah I know," Lehner said. "I have the same boxes. But I want to point out we've been
etling those for a couple months now."
Lehner, chairman of the Senate Education Committee, believes it's a vocal few who are
complaining and did so even before the exams were given. Some opposition to the
PARCC test comes from groups opposed to the Common Core standards that Ohio
Learn More» Support State Impact Ohio»
r.x.
DATA:2013-14 Ohio School District Report
Cards
'.í
DATA:2013-14 Ohio School Building Report
Cards
ACCES!
Internet access to the requested website hast
District's Intern
User/Machine: IPGROUP
IP: 10.80.168.69
Category: i=>cception
Blocked URL: http://www.facebook.com'plugins.
onvpages/Staten-,iact-Ollio/21226
show _faces=true&border_color"<'
For further op
rrustw ave Web !'ilter provided by Trustw ave. Copyrk
EMAIL UPDATES
Keep up to date with Statelmpact Ohio by
subscribing to our email updates:
http://statei mpact.npr.org /ohi ol2015103/11Jstate- board-of-education-on- publ ie-complalnts-over-parcc-test/ 115
15. 4/1312015 State Board of Education on Public COOl)lalnts rn.er PARCC Test I StatelrTl)B.ct Ohio
educators adopted. Others just believe students take too many high stakes, standardized FUNDERS
tests.
Lehner asked that the board members allow the tests to run their course over the next two
weeks so officials can study how well they worked. But new board member Bob Hagan of Education reporting is supported by the
Youngstown said every time he goes to the grocery store he's accosted by upset parents, Corporation for Public Broadcasting and its
American Graduate Initiative.
(
students, and teachers.
"What you're dealing 1Nitl1 now is a test that they think can end their career and the morale
of teachers that is disintegrating right before our eyes."
But last year and again earlier this month, Senator Lehner pointed out, the state legislature
passed a law so this first-year test Nill not have ramifications on students' grades or their
ability to graduate.
Support for Statelmpact Ohio and its education
programming on 90.3 and online is provided by
the Nord Family Foundation and The
Nordsan Corporation Foundation.
"There are no implications for anyone at the school level, the teacher level or the students'
level from these exams this spring. There are none. So not taking the test only delays our
ability to find out whether it's a bad or a good test or whether its formulated well or not."
That's not entirely true. ln fact, the test Nill count toward teacher evaluations unless the
teacher works out a deal with the school district.
lt was conservative Repuolicans, like the late State Senator Gene Watts, who wanted strict
statewide standards and testing, going back to the 1990's. 'And sorne still back them.
One of the eight board members appointed by Governor Kasich, Melanie Bolender, of Mt
Vernon, expressed support for the exams.
"Accountability is important and testing is the way to hold people accountable. I think we
need to hold people accountable."
(
The Senate has formed a committee that includes board members, teachers, and
curriculum experts to investigate whether the PARCC test works for Ohio. They'll issue a
report in May.
After that the committee Nill look for ways to follow up on the State School
Superintendent's goal of cutting back by 20% all standardized tests in Ohio.
TOPICS
The ABC's of the Common Core in
Ohio
Influences PARCC
COMMENTS
11 Comments Statelmpact Ohio 8 Loqln «
• Recommend ['.t Share Sort by Best.,, (
fJl j Join the ~1scussion... . . ..... .. ... .·
~ ~~ .. - ···~· ~--.-·~·~···
http://statelmpactnpr.org/ohla.'2015'03/11/state-board-of-educatlon-on-public-cOOl)laints·owr-parcc-test/ 215
16. 4/13/2015 PAR CC Is unfair to special needs students I West Milford Hewtt NewfoundlandNJ I Lettersto theEditor
Cartoons Columns Letters to the Editor
PARCC is unfair to special needs
students
PARCCis unfair to special neecls students
PUBLISHED FEB 13, 2015 AT 6:01 AM (UPDATED FEB 13, 2015)
Share This
There are many parent concerns, echoed throughout the state of New .Iersey, regarding the upcoming PARCC
assessment. The PARCC test aligns with the New .lersey Common Core curriculum.
;~
. However,
they will he able to utilize the accommodations built into the computerized version of the test. This sounds, on
paper, as appropriate accommodations for the special needs students. However, in actuality, the PARCC
testing and Common Core arc creating a population of students, 1(,to 2.0 percent in New Jersey, with a very
~&~~~¥iiî~~î~W~"'V
'J1Je Common Core curriculum and the PARCC testing fit the one-size-fits-
< ocsn't take into account the unique needs of our special education students
with an !EP or 504.
Hg·-, Some of the difficulties this population faces are reading comprehension,
written expression, and fluency. The accommodations on the PARCC test cannot meet the unique needs of the
student. The PARCC doesn't take into account that many language-based learning-dísa hied students read
below grade level. This is very apparent on previous years' standardized test reports.
There is a disparity between the partially proficient general education students and the special education
list of most siguificant common core key terms hy Bruce Taylor being given out hy schools that are
participating in PARCC. This document claims, if students elo not understand the meaning of these terms on
which PARCC prompts are based,
students learn differently than the general population. The standard visual test wou Id create an unfair
disadvantage to these specific leamers even with a reader or audio-component.
-~mt&.1i~'.~i.i~.~~Æ~~1ªRAt~~~ØJ.w~- . _ .These students
are often below gracie level as well. Many parents arc concerned in this group of learners. · · 1 1 1 . ,a· ,
f'a,Ji:W¡~~Øft[~clt-·11iis can adversely affect a child';s:~lf
esteem. Standardized testing for one with a neurological condition is penalizing those students.
••
Most: Rend Commented Emniled
04/09/201?
The return of Arnold Road
04/09/2015
District's Wechling retiring
04/08/2015
Lakeland Bank honors colleagues for
years of service
04/09/2015
Take Five with Murad Yassin
04/09/2015
School district approves tech
upgrade
04/07/2015
Hensley calls for GOP debate
04/07/2015
Anthony Christopher Neglia
04/08/2015
BASF to sponsor two free lectures
by Oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle
Tm: WEEK'S MOSTDISCI:SSEI>STOR!l·~~
Dining Guide
2014
http://Westmlfordmessenger.coovapps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20150213/0PINION03/150219972/PARCC-ls-unfalr-to-speclal-needs-students 1/3
17. 4/1312015 PAR CC Is unfair to special needs students I West Miiford HelJIÄtt Nevioundland NJ I Letters to the Editor
..
(
. Io LE-am More
· Ciiek He're · ·
Cnll for Spr.•clr1ls!
behalf of the student to learn something new.
The common difficulties students with disabilities face daily have not been taken into account with the
PARCC testing. These difficulties are: speaking, reading, comprehension, processing, memory, executive
Tho does the PARCC testing hurt the most? The students who are most vulnerable.
e .• bg1lEhlRVJ~ltWJ~"¥t~1~iª11flf~,~~¡',JlW~--S.î~
. . These students are expected to sit and d(ï110ÎlÍiÎÎg'fu'rt ecturatlon of the testing. 'l11e "sit
and stare" iolicy i~ a direct punitive action that will negatively impact the special education populatlon,I
BØ ·.'i., ··~~~~_Jl'g"ff" . , the sit and stare policy will just increase the anxiety.
I implore school districts not to utilize suc 1gmatizing tactic. Offer the students who have parent refusals
for the PARCC an nlternative activity.
Mary Laumbach-Perez is a volunteer educational advocate for students with special needs. Professionally she
is a nationally certified Employment Services Provider with 10 years of experience working with the
developmental disabilities and special education population. She has 15 years experience studying Hidden
Disabilities: Learning and Developmental. Laumbach-Perez is also the founder of a non-profit special
education coalition. Through the coalition., she has partnered with professionals to offer special education
workshops to New Jersey parent groups. The opinions expressed in this article are her own and do not
express the opinions of her employer or other professionals she has partnered with.
,.
Tweet ShareThls
Comments
Wise Monkey Rules
See no evil read critically before posting: Are
you "on topic?" Have you added value?
Hear no evil the sound and tone of your
comment should be clvll and thoughtful
Speak no evil do not post anything you know
to be untrue or disparaging
,¡
http://v>Æstmllfordmessenger.com'apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20150213/0PINION03'150219972/PARCC-is-unfair-to-speclal-needs-students 2/3
18.
19. Parent? Student? leacher? NO
Wh~t~~~~%,~z~~·;~:r~~e~~1 :~1Y1~l~t~~;~iew ~
in our school: PARCC. SŒCll
lt Hl
Overtesting strips us of ow love of lc<H ning.
Hig1 stakes tc-stir.g .lmits ocr exptomttcn of
ourwodd, our teacher's t:rnativity, and our school's
1thilit.yto Improve education
Yoy.are.more .Hu1n.ø.:;core.
Wonl.m.9r.dnf2Ui91l>Julp;//ßl1~q-~_b•i:tfll~.~-"'·m.~
For the alternative policies some that we have mentioned are giving individuals the option
to opt out of taking the test instead of making everyone take the test. Yes this is already an
option but we've decided to mention it because many parents do not know about it here.
This is a good alternative to the people but not to the school because the people will be
happy with choosing which test but the schools will be having to pay for two tests.
The second alternative is to go back to regular standardized testing (OAA). This will
be hard to decide because some people like the new
test. Although many at this particular school dislike the
PARCC tests some school districts do enjoy the new
computer based testing. So this will get a lot of
controversy among Ohio. The state governor could
choose to not allow PAR CC tests at all so we have to
be careful of what we ask so we keep everyone i n mind
when we make the final decision.
The third alternative is to allow schools to
decide which test to take and not the state of Ohio. This would be good because some
VOU CAN ...
• Refuse the PARCC
• Take Control of
Your Education
• Make a Stand
schools may like it and some may not. Many states are doing PARCC by state not by
school district so it would be a good solution to one of the problems. Also many students
have chosen to opt out of the test so instead of having vast numbers of students opt out the
entire school can just opt out. This will help because once a child opts out you'll have to get
a new test for them to take so if vast amount of people opt out it would be smart for the
entire school to opt out as well.
20. PARCC Testing: Some Ohio
· parents opting out
Department of Education issues warning
BY: Julie O'Neill (mailto:joneill@wcpo.com)
LOVELAND,Ohio - Are you in or out?
9 On Your Side has found that a growing number ofparents are considering opting their kids
out of next week's new standardized testing for Ohio in spite ofwarnings from the
Department of Education about possible consequences.
Many parents are taking their concerns to social media. And even a local superintendent is
expressing reservations about it.
Loveland parents like AmyBroermann are sounding offon the private "Learn Loveland"
Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1023711754310780/).
Ohio is among 13 states in the consortium called the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness
for Collegeand Careers (PARCC),(http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Testing-old/Ohio-s-
State-Tests/Partnership-for-Assessment-of-Readiness-for..,Co-1)which developed Ohio's new
grades 3-12 English language arts and mathematics state tests.
Broermann has spent the last fewdays conferring with other parents concerned about PARCC
testing, and she says the math doesn't add up.
"The number of days that teachers spent preparing for it. The number of days that school will
be disrupted so that kids can take the tests ... It's gone too far," she said.
"I hear about teachers complaining that they spend as much time and energy on paperwork
and prepping for tests as they do actually teaching the kids.
"The money and time that is being spent with all the standardized testing is not most
benefiting our kids and Ijust worry that we are traveling in the totally wrong direction as to
how we can best help our kids and help our teachers educate our kids."
21. Loveland Superintendent Chad Hilliker understands her concern and has shared his on his
blog. (http://www.lovelandschools.org/protected/ ArticleView.aspx?iid=5IU2B2&dasi=3IU2)
"My concern isn't about the testing. It's about the number of days that we're going to be ( -,
testing," he told 9 On Your Side.
"We used to test two days a year for reading and for math. Now we're testing in eight
sessions, which changes the schedule for eight days."
The grassroots organization Opt Out Ohio
(http://ohioansagainstcommoncore.com/ optoutohiochallenge-your-childs-safe-harbor /) said
the opt-out form on its site has been downloaded 24,000 times since they posted it two weeks
ago.
Hilliker says only a minority are opting out in Loveland.
"We have some people who have opted out but not a vast majority of people are doing that.
Most people want their children to take the test because we need to see the results. We kind
of need to see what it's like after the first year before we really make a determination about
what that really means for our students," he said.
(
The Ohio Department of Education has a warning on its website
(https://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Testing-old/News/Guidance-on-Testing-Refusal-Cases-
Offered) about possible consequences for students, teachers, schools and districts when
students don't take state tests.
Broermann believes this first year is the best year to opt out to minimize negative
consequences such as affecting her district's report card or funding.
She is opting out.
"Onlybecause I think that sends the strongest message," she said.
Parents have been sounding offon this issue on WCPO'sFacebookpage.
(https://www.facebook.com/WCP09/posts/10152832985863445) We'd like to hear from you
with this testing beginning Feb. 16.
22. Elementary school teachers: How PARCC testing is affecting our classrooms - The Washi... Page 1 of 5
~he ttlttøbittgtontJoøt
Answer Sheet
Elementary school teachers: How PARCCtesting is
affecting our classrooms
By Valerie Strauss March 23
With the spring standardized testing season under way, we are hearing from a growing number of
teachers, principals and even superintendents who are speaking out about the negative effects of high-
stakes testing on teaching and learning. For example, Steve Kramer, superintendent of Madeira City
Schools in Ohio, recently wrote an open letter about why he is "profoundly concerned" about new
Common Core testing. The following post is an open letter signed by 20 teachers at Barbieri Elementary
School in Framingham, Massachusetts, who detail how Common Core testing is affecting their
classrooms.
Here's the open letter:
We are teachers at Barbieri Elementary School who want to make clear what is happening
in your children's classrooms as a result of decisions made in offices far away.
This year, 3rd-8th graders in Framingham Public Schools will be taking the test known as
PARCC,which will be replacing the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System
(MCAS).
PARCCwas created by the Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and
Careers, one of two multi-state consortia given $360 million in federal funds to design
new standardized tests to hold students, schools and teachers "accountable."
As teachers we cannot stay silent as PARCCmakes its way into our classrooms.
In the words of Soujourner Truth at the 1851 Women's Convention, "Where there is so
much racket there must be something out of kilter." Nationally, we're hearing a racket
about the problem of standardized tests driving instruction, knocking the process of
education clearly out of kilter. Here are a few reasons why:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2015/03/23/elementary-school-teac... 4/8/2015
23. Elementary school teachers: How PARCC testing is affecting our classrooms -The Washi... Page 2 of 5
1. Test Prep takes time awayft•om REAL Reading, W1·iting and Math
Instruction. (
For example, leading up to the PARCCexam, regular instruction is suspended in reading
and writing classes in order to prepare our students for the kind of passages and
questions they will encounter. On average we will cancel six weeks of reading and writing
instruction to prepare for the tests. The time for independent reading, read-alouds and
word study is replaced with repeated practice answering multiple choice questions and
writing multi-paragraph essays in less time than they will ever be asked to do in high
school or college. This does not even account for the instruction time lost to actually
taking the PARCCtests. This year students will lose seven additional learning days in
Grade Three, eight days in Grade Four and nine days in Grade Five, while the children
take the PARCCexam (in addition to science MCASin fifth grade). Some say that because
students will only be allowed 75 minutes to complete the test, there will still be plenty of
time for regular instruction. However, it will take at least an additional 40 minutes to get
students appropriately seated, hand out the materials and read the lengthy directions.
This also does not account for the fact that some students are allowed up to the entire
school day to complete the tests, and we cannot introduce new concepts with part of the
class still testing. Furthermore, PARCCis only one of many state and district mandated
tests that your children have to take each year.
2. Test Prep Negatively Affects Children's Love ofLearninq
We became elementary school teachers because we wanted to help foster a love of
learning. We teach our students that reading can bring joy and that math is magical. But
that message is nullified when we start to prepare our students for standardized tests. We
tell our students that they can no longer talk with their friends to puzzle out a math
solution, or consult the word wall to help them understand unfamiliar words. We tell our
students that they need to read quickly because on testing days they will have a mere 75
minutes to read two or three stories, answer multiple choice questions and write an essay.
As we completely undermine what we have spent so much time building, our students
begin to lose their passion for reading and math. If wc extinguish the passion to learn at
such a young age, how are we preparing them for "college and careers?"
3. Standardized Tests Punish English Language Learners, Students with
Special Needs and Students with Anxiety
http:!/www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2015/03/23/elementary-school-teac... 4/8/2015
24. Elementary school teachers: How PARCC testing is affecting our classrooms - The Washi ... Page 3 of 5
As teachers, wc constantly strive to meet the individual needs of our students by
differentiating instruction so that everyone can access the curriculum. But that is not the
message during testing time. For the first time in the school year, all students arc
expected to read independently at their given grade level. Students with special needs and
those whose first language is not English arc likely to struggle. Every year, children who
are anxious about school freeze up, become ill, and/or are reduced to tears by these types
of tests. Russ Walsh, a literacy expe1t, recentlydetermined that the majority of passages
and questions on the sample PARCCtests arc two years beyond the expected reading level
for the grade. He summarized his findings by saying that the tests will provide very
limited information for parents and teachers, and a tremendous amount of frustration for
students.
4. PARCC= Failing our Teachers and Students
The results of the PAR.CC tests will no doubt feed into the education reform mantra that
our kids, teachers and schools are failing. Each year, there are wholesale changes to
curriculum because the goal of education has become "passing the test." We have to
scramble to create lesson plans for these constantly changing expectations. How can we
do our best work if we are not properly trained in the curriculum? A new lesson requires
time for teachers to understand the concept deeply and determine how best to present it.
It requires time to think about how to engage students in the lesson, how to accommodate
for individual student needs, and to gather the necessary materials. We need time to
create visual supports, and to consider how to assess students' understanding of what is
taught. Multiply that time by four or more subjects in a day, and you can sec how it
becomes impossible for teachers to be effective when curriculum is changed every year to
fit a test.
Excellent teaching is aligned to the individual learning needs of students, and it is out of
kilter to have to teach to the expectations of a standardized test. These sterile tests and
the accompanying weeks of artificial test-prep stand in stark contrast to the rich and
varied learning experiences we strive for in the classroom. By way of this testing, we see
the curriculum narrowing, a false definition of educational success expanding, and the
appreciation of school and life-long learning vanishing.
Pat Kryzak, 3rd Grade Teacher
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2015/03/23/elementary-school-teac... 4/8/2015
25. Elementary school teachers: How PARCC testing is affecting our classrooms - The Washi... Page 4 of 5
Antonella D'Eramo, 3rd Grade Teacher
/
Laura Molina Camarasa, 3rd Grade Teacher
Sarah Pogson, 3rd Grade Teacher
Rebecca Lally, 3rdGrade Teacher
Jocelynne Mackay, 3rdGrade Teacher
Megan Gage, 3rdGrade Teacher
Jean Mulcahey, 3rdGrade Teacher
Lisie Haustein, 4th Grade Teacher
Katy Shander-Reynolds, 4th Grade Teacher
Monica Viteri-Harutunian, 4th Grade Teacher
Ned Sawyer, 4th Grade Teacher
Kirstin Veeder, 4th Grade Teacher
Ann Croatti, 4th Grade Teacher
Susan Quemere, 4th Grade Teacher
Tamar Szmuilowicz, 5th Grade Teacher
Laura Goldman, 5th Grade Teacher
Susan Rosser, 5th Grade Teacher
Teresa Burke, 5th Grade Teacher
Cristina Sandza-Donovan, 5th Grade Teacher
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answcr-shect/wp/2015/03/23/elcmcntary-school-teac... 4/8/2015
26. • Takes up less time
• Has easier questions
• Get grants to pay for the assessments
• Take it all one day
• Gets more class time
• You'll know the content of the text
These are some advantages of going back to paper state testing
better known as OAA 's. Some advantages of going back are it takes
less time and and you can finish all tests in a week time frame. Since it
takes up less time you'll have more class time and time for your
teachers to teach you things you may need to know on these tests.
Disadvantages on going back to the OAA 's
• Its not as challenging as PARCC
• We won't know how to operate the computers for other things
• Its not eco friendly
These are some disagreements on our alternative policy which is
going back to the OAA 's. Some of the things we came up with are the
PARCC is not as challenging as the OAAs, so we could be preparing for
the next grade up. Also its not eco friendly and you would be using a lot
of paper when we could be taking the online tests. Although there are
some disadvantages these things can be fixed besides the paper issue
so I still think we should go back to regular paper testing OAA 's.
27. stares reconsmer common core tests
By Adrienne Lu February 20, 2014
Beginning in March,-mti.~~DJÆ~;¡<l'è<]ff
tlCß.!!!i4l~:!l.M; a set of standards adopted by almost every state that map out what students should know and be
able to do in each grade.
.-·-m~•ifd~Jmm:~~~,
~~g¡~~to increase academic rigor for all students and to allow states to better evaluate their
students and compare them with those in other states.
The testing that will take place starting in March wi11 serve as a dry run for the two groups of states that have , ,
u .'
banded together to develop Common Core tests, the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium and the Partnership'
for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, or PARCC. In most states, the real Common Core tests will
· ·,,gin in 2015.
·y
K12 Online Public School
k 12.cdm/Ohio
-Ad
I .
Learn About Tuition-Free Online School in OH. Power
But as controversy over the Common Core has challenged some states' commitment to the standards,_.,
~d~il!Im..--1,, · · raising questions
about the cost of the tests and the long-term viability ofthe multi-state testing groups, which~~
ŒØIJJmJJml· . ·. The federal grants will end this fall, and it is unclear whether the testing
groups will continue past that point.
"What gets tested is what gets taught," said Joan Herman, co-director emeritus ofthe National Center for Research
on Evaluation, Standards and Student Testing at UCLA. "To the extent that the assessments well represent the spirit
l meaning of the standards, the spirit and meaning ofthe standards will get taught. Where the assessments fall
snott, curriculum, instruction and teaching willlikely fall short as well."
28. Dropping the tests
~~~Crlticsfromb~hends~fuepoliticd
spectrum cited a variety of complaints, including the fear of federal control over education, questions about whethe(
Common Core is superior to previous state standards and worries about .the implementation ofthe standards, ·
including the cost to states and school districts .
.~):[ft;)T'°%:tfi ~?(ç':,:¡'.{1P:hJ:;.n'(~ ·~··mt--rhfä~·;~·(I {pikir~ í, d:qi 'g~î. K.ahITTta }fff~. tú~ ~ïiY~ Ilii o.:!, • ~l .O , º º o t º- (! fd)ij'!) • , • • , , • ,
- ., --. : - .- • - • ,..~·«, ·,. _- ->;:·¿·..~(F}_::)~i,·{~:-{--rt>:'_-'.~~z)~-·:,}.~.TY~~,~,:,...._~ --~····~· ~-~-- - ',.~/ -~,_~'.?-:/':(li~l?i(
,;f~~~~~s·_¡r..~L~Ji:i;fo:~,~1v¡¡t1o;(~·:~p.rJ~F:iiï~~miiif.~;·.~ifü~;_'.rnr'i;ùit;~{L:;-iéfuî~·..~~-fü ··füt~r~ ";,'tf' ~ · ·t.··fü~~)
..J.>~-.~~~j¡~i¡i~{~j)fü~~,i'~~~~' .....
...
only the English standards). But
WJW!?or~'Ja'wl,!.!~.~
opting instead to commission tests from the
. • and instead
Pennsylvania has said it will use its own tests.
- about the median its member states now pay for standardized tests;
····and
than current standardized test costs in two-thirds of the member states.
=A
J
Ad
Amplify ELA
amplify.com/ELA
Get your students excited about complex texts with Am¡
Herman said both PARCCand Smarter Balanced are breaking new ground in developing student tests.
'~~ii1f'"1d;£{1Jñ~imlmfûJIS~l)@p,!gif~@mltllB~ŒØ," Herman sait·
"No doubt some folks don't think they're far enough, but in my mind, they're definitely an important step forward
and will~~~tm1r~m¥ï1lf@.îfçííi'§!filri'ft.rd~~X!§.¡,JJm~t~lm}~t~~,,
29. <tbc ttlíl!lbington¡Jost
'nions
Want your kids to opt out of standardized tests? The
Constitution may be with you.
Correction: An earlier version of this story attributed a.finding - that pre-kindergarten through ieth grade
students take 113 tests - to the wrong education organization. The version below has been corrected.
By Anya Kamenetz January 9
Anya Kamenetz writes about education for NPR. This essayis adapted from her book "The Test: WhyOur
Schools Are Obsessed With Standardized Testing - but You Don't Haveto Be."
When Jeanette Deutermann's older son began third grade, he started crying and begging not to go to school. He
developed stomachaches that a doctor said were stress-related. Deutermann, a stay-at-home mom in Nassau
County, Long Island, was mystified. "In kindergarten, first, second grade, he wasn't a kid who was like, 'Please let
go to school,'" she recalled. "But he didn't have issues."
She eventually realized what was stressing him out: ~~J.ï11(Wfi@l"l.11J.!lg,IîJif]!¡~ßœ~Ø
On top of state-mandated annual exams, her school and district had imposed many more diagnostic, benchmark
and practice tests. For Deutermann, the last straw came in February 2013, during her son's fourth-grade year, when
he brought home a notide that he'd been "selected" for something called "Sunrise Academy." Based on their scores
on the NWEA, a benchmark test, some fourth-graders - gifted as well as struggling kids - were asked to come in at
7:30 a.m. two mornings a week to prep for the state exam. "For me it was a-~ota.I red flag," peutermann recalled, "I
start asking: 'What happens ifhe doesn't do well? WiU he be put on a lower track? What is the consequence?'" She
was told the test would measure the school's performance, not her son's.
But Deutermann had had enough. So she founded a Facebook group, Long Island Opt-out Info, that February and
started organizing other parents. the next spring, , !'§}~'l)]l!zSJiritr,!Lt§i~}ñîï'[Çl§f.@.~-;;jlrâñcflîW"d~t~
.l.-
30. (,_ u ·-vv-~u~,·.v~~·.v~•·.···-~c,v>~~---,-~-.~·--~-.w~ •• ~-~~-----•--·•~----~=~~~~~--~~~-·~·~-~ --~-~·~-~ ..,-.,~,•n·v,--'-~--~~
~~~~- determined to reclaim local control and opposed to market-based
reforms, school closures and cutbacks - fiJ.mñ'gt"tliê.ir:mit:i~ltJlJ§fäffffi._HiiJg.it~&J Designed to assess
students and hold teachers, schools, districts and states accountable for their performance, high-stakes exams have
come to define education for many kids. The Council ofthe Great CitySchools has reported that
~"".®1í®!til~!t1ll!l!!1ifil!'eíi'à'li'iliil'!filmil1Bf]lfülI!lli!fïl~Il~áLILt.- ~"û· . íW§ffll
The new national resistance holds that these exams do not provide useful or timely information; that they are unfair
to minorities and other disadvantaged grnups; and that tests and prep are crowding out arts, science, social studies
and zrst-century skills. Officialsare pushing back. Yet parents are finding constitutional arguments to support their
approach, and in many cases they'r~~vVinni11g.
There are no hard numbers. But starting in 2013, changes to teacher evaluations related to Race to the Top, a
federal incentive program, as well as the adoption of the Common Core standards, triggered a new wave of opt-out
protests and boycotts led by parent groups and teachers unions.Qi•ør~JJ:~1~11m}nfti~iliiiwí:Jil,W~:"" :
f:~~'î§ilftll_... f¡. Organizers in Denver and Chicago also recruited many defectors during the 2014 testing .
legendar
Histofy..,," historian William J. Reese tells the story ofwhat happened in 1845 in Boston, when reformers, led by the
. ···,·· · . , ,í : ·culnsT.ftñfis'ª"i$~,r.,,rytegtnñ'¡i)1fv..1;·c.r1:;·1fg'ffii2·;;lf&fü§.fU:ä~lf Pi'~r~êfJ~lfffà.dê'r'Yf:¡¡.,.;:;r¡:· ,.,..,,,., ~,, .,•.t!hJ,..·.(·~1¡'1):',~,!:,l-1-.:·:·.~~.../:t!:l-'- • lt 1):,¡~!t. · .,.~.·R~......,.....~,~·-- · ru~·~,-,Y.~..~- · .. . 8•.:.<~">~
, that the test narrowed the curriculum and deprofessionalized teachers.
But, as Reese writes, "once written tests entered the schools, they were never going to leave."
Still, most students complied. The opt-out is a relatively new phenomenon - a response to the age ofuniversal,
high-stakes testing. · ·· .' ,~ ,, ··1~~ff1~'@lllmwª_Ps_: ~-g~-~~~f_W,t1Ø
r1·~~.~~,¡~·~·âh~:;~cf:t~1··~:: '.~Hf~:Í·/;~ ~:l. aw.:~~vyy.2t.,,..,,....~ .. ,~§=.@ ~L .. ,,,....,:X.Æ..~1 . J
. The state commissioner of education scolded the affluent district in an
officialletter the following fall, ordering school officialsto punish students if they repeated the stunt.
I
alarm about "Obamacore," while teachers unions are asking for more professional autonomy. High-stakes testing
31. H ·st · 11 ~~,:i:~:'¥.~î:;e"~."s'Mt~a·,:,;¡;·1î1X~èlt.JW~~''e:;,sr't~s1'~~'l,a·;·,_:,:i;-~+'A'Q;'i'c,"Bil,·'8"mt;l'l~P~""'a-··.-.···1"e"··1P''e)7JW)ll'.r-c.1~=-]:l;r.f~Wa""'~~"1i·e-~"ª:i-·.¡;~ffi..1~'·"'fm -1~~~1·
1~ one~ y, ~~i,:g¡.1. ll!;!.W..il.,~~t :n Y-e.,tM.w.r~¥~~:fü·i,·.~,W.1,,~l,l,,.1X..•J;~g._~~.y;,_S_M __.::;.J:¡,!i._1;;?.~t:t~~"..til,~Y.11i:s.i.e..~P~ll!Ul!@S't
and don't reflect a great depth oflearning, said James Pellegrino, co-director of Learning Sciences Research
Institut~ at the University of Illinois at Chicago and a leading expert.on student assessment.
Pellegrino said that because every child is now tested every year from third through eighth grades and once in high
~hoo~~~dbecauæ, ,~;..~,Yv~
'
Pellegrino warned. "If we have shallow tests
§Øi._1l.:œJ'· -~~~
" Pellegrino said. "As a consequence, they won't teach to the standards - they'll teach to
"Youget into a mode of mass production, and mass production doesn't alwaysget tuned to the highest levels of
quality," Pellegrino said. "It's not like you couldn't do it, but it's very costly to produce high-quality assessments on
an ongoing basis with the sort of scope and scale" used in the United States.
the test."
Assessing complex skills
tmlmf' or groups of test questions designed around a common theme and
On the end-of-year exams, King said high school students might be asked to imagine being a staff member in a
congressman's office.The congressman has asked the staffer to write a short memo explaining the pros and cons of
nuclear power and provide a recommendation on what position the congressman should take, including the
justification for the recommendation. The student would be given background materials to read and would need to
evaluate the credibility of the background materials before constructing a cogent, concise argument.
David Connerty-Marin, a spokesman for PARCC,said
. They will, for example,~9,')_Y~, ...
, . t . , . They also will evaluate reading and writing scores at every grade (currently, few states
u.st writing at every grade level) and gauge whether students are on track to be "collegeready" when they graduate
from high school.
32. •bepth of knowledge'
In Michigan, which has seen its share of controversy over the Common Core, Joseph Martineau, the deputy
superintendent for accountability services, said ·~im~~Ft'~iJ'la~mfill$.m.ii~ (
, the Michigan Educational Assessment Program, or MEAP.Smarter Balanced wi11 '
.: .... ~êisfß.··n:·,~.. ~. m. ~~~~~!t.ll'IJ!m.
. , they can also be administered over a longer period,
whereas the previous state tests had to be administered on a single day to prevent cheating.
Martineau said th
'
"We would not have been able to afford to develop the kind of quality that was developed t~rough the consortium.f
•' ._. ;. .
he said. '.
- Stateline.org
34. su~~o~te~s a~d a~~o~e~ts
Our PARCC movement has appealed to many people. Not
only do we have many supporters we also so have Opponents.
We are planning to appeal to the ones opposing our
alternative for PARCC in by part taking in civil disobedients.
We are planning to protest against their opinion in hopes to
persuade them that PARCC is not in the best assessment to
prove what the students have learned throughout the year ..
PARCC also affects the way teachers are rated and this
assessment is unfairly bring rates down.
Some of the group of people we have supporting us are mainly our peers.
Most of our teacher, our Principle, and many groups of students all across the
districts. We don't have many upper executive supporters yet, but we are hoping to
appeal to the State Board of Education. The State Board of education will give us
the power we need to carry out our Alternative policy of going back to the OAA state
assessment. We will need to influence them to make a change in their state testing
system.
Although, we have a great amount of supporters we also have many opponents we
need to influence. Some of these groups consist of many of our peers, many teachers, and
and the people of the district. We have to influence the teacher that this assessment is
failing them. Teachers are evaluated by three things, which consist of Teacher
performance, Alternative Component, and Student Growth. If our students are not prepared
for this assessment, and don't meet the standards of this test how can a teacher be rated
on their growth. If the student are failing the test, because teachers didn't have to resources
to prepare them for the assessment, how can you tell if the teacher is doing his/her job or
not. The assessment is unfairly failing both the students and teachers, which also makes
our school as a whole look bad.
Refuse the Te$t
OPT OUT OF
PAR CC
CommonCoroForum.<>rg
[i] Common Core Sorum
The State Government is this biggest opponent our group needs to influence. The
State Government agrees with the idea of PARCC "Challenging the student", and PARCC
being the "New and Improved". We would need to influence them to have an open mind.
We are hoping they would see our views and consider our policy. Other than the State
Government, There are many supporters in that field. There are not many others we may
need to influence, but if needed we will do so.
35. Basically we are going to be taking all the evidence we have received so far in our project
and making a video of it. The evidence we have all come from reliable sources and surveys.
Every website we used to find information is listed in each of the panels bibliography. We'll have
a table of content in the beginning of our binder so you know where to find everything in the
binder. We have dividers in the binder labeled as the panel numbers and more.
Our information we gathered is very helpful to us because we needed some type of proof
to prove to them a lot of people dislike the PARCC tests. Keep in mind when you see our
surveys that they are from all kinds of different people they could be 7th or 8th graders men or
women and even adults. Our surveys really have no limit of whos taking it because we want our
evidence to be very distinctive so as long as you have some connection with PARCC you can
take it whether it be you are taking it or you're giving the test or even your children are taking it.
Also even though you may think that everyone in the United States has to take the test
they don't PAR CC is ran by state so if your state governor says its a good idea to take PARCC
tests every public school has to do so unless you or your school opt out. Some states may not
want you to opt out though because it will cause a lot of stress and hectic moments in the mean
time of getting some sort of test in place instead of the PARCC.
PARCC States http://www.parcconline .org/
1• ·~·'· .
• Il
36. ou~ ActltM Pan
We are going to be making a video to present to the Board of Education and maybe even
the state. We decided to make a video so we can share our results and information to inform
everyonewhy we don't like PARCC. Most people have many differentviews on state testing and
whether or not PARCC should be in place. We will also be interviewingadministrators like
teachers, the principal, board members and more.
We will start by getting questions in order to ask our different groups of teachers we'll be
writing our questions in a journal along with the responses. We are going to be emailing teachers
and asking them when the best time to interview them is and keeping note of when and where.
We'll be recording clips of the interviews to put in the video and be asking them to record a short
entry so that we can insert that as well. The video will mainly focus on differentviews on the
PARCC but we will also give a lot of background information on PARCC and OAA's.
This is what we will be doing as our step to get rid of PARCC. Mer we gather all the
information, video clips, and interviews we will be editing it and turning it into this great
inspirationalvideo. We basically just want PARCC removed from our school and to allow us to
pick what WE want to take. Think about it would you be trying your absolute best on a test you
dread taking? I don't think so. So why not allow us to pick so you can have the best test score
results for the district? Exactly there is no point.
Parccïnu
AT ANY. TllVlliE
N<> iPCl rc:·c::=
T·~s.t-i 111 g :Ze> ri te-
-o
37. Menu
(http://www.nj.com/)
Subscnbe
Slgn ln Search
PARCC: What happens if students 'opt out?•
few Jersey schools am pmparir1gtor how to handle students w 110 refuse lo take the new PARCC ex urts. (Express Tirn:~s file
photo)
n lhttp://conncct.nj.com/staffladamclark/index.htmn ByAdam Clark I NJ Advance Medla for
g NJ.com lhttp://connect.nl,com/staff/adamctarklp.l!filliJllrn!l
· Email the author I Follow on Twitter lhttps://twitter.com/rcalAdamClarkl
on January 25, 2015 at 7:41 AM, updated January 25, 2015 at 9:40 AM
NewJersey students in grades 3 to 11 willtake
the state's new standardized tests this March. But
LilaLofving,a seventh-grader at Montclair's
Mount Hebron Middle School,won't be ciné of
them, her mother says.
Martha Evans says she will refuse to allow Lila,a
straight-A student, to take the Partnership for
Assessment of Readiness for College and
Careers (http://www.parcconline.org)
exam, whichshe thinks is unnecessarily difficult,
among other concerns.
"I think it's a horrible test," Evanssaid. "I don't
think it has any assessment value, and I don't
want her taking it."
AcrossNewJersey, districts arc preparing for
how they will respond to students like Lila,part
of a building "opt-out" movement aimed at the
PARCCexams, computerized tests designed to he
more challenging than their predecessors.
The state says it has no policyaddressing
whether students can opt out of standardized
tests, but the Department of Education has
advised districts that the tests are mandatory ane!
that schoolsshould consult their discipline ane!
attendance policiesif students refuse to take
MORE,EDUCATION
'Under God' will stay in district's
Pledge of Allegiance after group
drops fight
{http://www.nj.com/monmouth/index.
ln Newark public schools election,
Newarkers have chance to Jet their
voice be heard I Opjnjon
{http://www.nj.com/opinion/index.ss1
Dean of Rutgers planning school
and wife leaving $3.5 million to
university
{http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/21
Dear Teacher: Don't have students
write to a cop killer. Sincerely. N,J. I
Editorial
{http://www.nj.com/opinion/index.ss1
statewjde pajd sjck leave
discredits employers who already
offer it, Congress' cuts of college
funding no accident I Letters
Chttp://www.nj.com/opioion/jn~
Sponsored by. [11~,:s~~,~22]
(http1/ads.ni.ct>m/Rea1Media/ads/click lx.ads/www.nj.com/education/2015
Most Read
Trending Videos
cw York
Klents dont take th,
Active Discussions
1 N.J. teacher speaks out after
suspension for third-graders' 'get well'
letters to convicted cop killer (VIDEO)
(http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/2015/04/nj_teacher__sp,
(301 conrnmts)
2 N.J. native, an Arizona cop, caught on
dashcam running down suspect
{VIDEO)
(http://www. nj.com/newslindex.ssf/2015/04/former_nj_mar
{39ccnrmnts)
3 Christie urging Social Security reform
with an eye to 2016
{http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/04/christie_ urgit
(318 comS nts)
4 Poll: Do you agree with Christie that
U.S. Social Security retirement age
should be raised to 69?
(http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/04/poll do you
(12 corrrS nts)
5 Jersey City investigating Howell
collision Involving city car driven by
police officer
(http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2015/04/jersey _city il
All Stories
{bup¡//toplc,.nt.com/tag/educatlon/po11ts.btml}
(12 cormums)
38. them. See more comments»
(http://www.nj.com/interact/)
Superintendents say they are followingthat state (http://ads.nj.com/RealMedia/ads/click lx.ads/www.nj.com/cducation/2015/01/what
directive,whileat the same time concedingtheycan't force a student to take a test.
The state has also advised schoolofficialsto steer the conversation awayfrom whether
students can refuse the PARCCtests and toward the benefit of taking the exams, which
focuson criticalthinking and strategy more so than content.
"ThePARCCexams, unlike anything elsewchave ever done in the state, willprovide
much more robust information about your child's education, howthe schoolscan help
them, howyou as a parent can help them," Education Commissioner DavidHespesaid,
Students arc not required to take the PARCCtests to moveto the next grade level.And
unlike the HighSchoolProficiencyAssessment,which had been givento rith-graders,
PARCCwillnot he a graduation requirement, at least not until 2018.
A fewdistricts have been proactiveabout clarifyingfor parents whether students who
refusethe test willhe offered alternative learning activities,whichthe state says
districts are not required to do. But others haveso far remained mum unless
specificallyasked.
Someparents fear students couldbe forcedto "sit and stare," an approach certain
schoolsacross the country have adopted in response to opts outs. Sarah Tepper Blaine
of Montclair, an education bloggerwhosaysher daughter will refuse the fourth-grade
test, said the lackof a universal policyhas left parents unsure what to expectiftheir
students refuse to take the PARCCon test clay.
"I don't think it's clear to anyone at this point," Blainesaid.
Opt-out movement grows
NewJersey is one of 11 states, along with the Districtof Columbia,in the PARCC
consortium that developedthe common set oftests in math and language arts. More
than 20 states were originallyinvolvedhut the number continues to drop as support
wanes.The tests are aligned with the newstandards introduced in classrooms last year,
called Common Core íltttp://www.c01·estandards.org).
With the debut of the PARCC tests loomingin NewJersey, the localopt-out movement
is experiencinga groundswell,said Jean McTavish,a member of United Opt Out-NJ, a
branch of a national organization that promotes opting out as a wayfor parents to get a
seat at the table with decision makers in education.
"It is explodingin NewJersey," MeTavishsaid.
That was evidencedat January's state Boardof Education meeting, where nearly 100
people signed up for public testimony.
(11Up://ads.ni çom/RealM¡di@l¡ls'/elii,knhœdîJß,MIM,jcJialnllslotialtid11/¡IO
rt11tp:J/ads.nl.com/Realfrndi@tds'/elS kknll<:Bfls/,',w,LIMUwamli:<fni: •...:~
fhttp:Jtads.nl.com/Realtredl@úls'/elö,j(ni¡S mm/JiwajMffcJialnlè<latiaiti<111t:lO
;a;:;;,;:,:~~::::~'""
llJ...·~.•.'l~.. ~i:~~~e~,~~~ic~~~~ ~c~~~octc>r
~~ will never tell you.
•
The 10 MostAlfor,fable Cars of
2014.
Advt:rtiœmAnt
~·.~·=·Ohio Driwrs Feel Stupid For Not
t ..:..,.·~ ,Knawiny This New Rule
t2~t ··..·~.··..•....·. ~i:~~~~e~1~,~~ic~~:::,ª!~~~actor
· 'I>., will never tell you.
P'
.•. '..·.· •.. 16 Child Stars Who Grew Up To
• , Be Super Altractiw!
, • Auveulsemant
Parents, some holding "NO PARCCING" signs or wearing "Opt-out" shirts
íblln://www.nj.com/education/2015/ollpa1·cc exams blasted by parents teacher students at open fomm.html),
calledfor the state to abandon the PARCCtests. Somestudents said they wouldrefuse
to take them.
McTavish,a NewYorkCityschoolprincipal whose children attend RidgewoodPublic
Schools,said NewJersey is followingin the footsteps of NewYork,where thousands of
students reportedly skipped schoollast spring rather than show up to take their annual
state tests.
Educators agree the movement is spreading, though it's unclear to what degree.
Opposition is vocalin some communities, like Montclair,hut superintendents in some
others saythey have barely heard a peep.
PARCC supporters, who count the state's PTAand association ofschool administrators
among them, have said they believemuch of the opposition stems from a general dislike
of the CommonCore.
Opponents, however,say their concerns nm deeper.
39. Many critics say the questions
are too confusing and the
format is too complex,
especially for younger students.
Lila said she wanted to take the
PARCC exams, despite her
mother's concerns, until she
took a practice test at school.
She was confused by a question
asking about the underlying
teme of a sentence in a story,
she said. Another question
directed her to select the best
answer when she thought none
of the answers were great, she
recalled.
An "opt our: shirt worn by Mrntclair parent Colleen Martine, at the New
Jersey Board of Education meeting (!'dam Clark I NJ Aívance ~dta
for NJ.com)
"Notonlywas it hard, the questions were reallycomplicated and they were, like,
deceiving,"said Lila,13. "Eventually,once I had deciphered what they wanted, I had to
rush to he able to finish it."
Lilanowagrees with her mom thatshe shouldn't take the test. In addition to findingit
confusing,she says practice tests are taking awayfrom instructional time.
"Wehave alwaystold her, 'We are goingto do what wcthink is hest foryou,' "Evans
said. "I do not think taking the PARCCis hest for her."
In Montclair, parents have urged the schoolhoard to adopt a policyallowingstudents
whowant to skip the test to receive other learning opportunities during testing periods.
A vote is expected at Monday's school board meeting.
No state policy
In California,state law has long given parents the right to opt students out of tests, said
BohSchaeffer,public education director for FairTest/the National Center for Fair
and Open Testing (http://www.fairtest.org1 a national advocacygroup.
Butthe issue is so new that most states, likeNewJersey, have no legalor regulatory
guidance on how to handle a student refusing to take a test for nonreligious reasons, he
said.
"In most cases, it is unplowed ground," Schaeffersaid.
A memo Hespe sent to schools in October suggestingthatthey consult their disciplinary
policieswas widelyinterpreted hy opt-out advocatesas advising schoolsto punish
students who cometo school but refuse to take the test.
Hespe later clarifiedthe state's stance in January, saying not everyrefusal to take the
tests should he considered a disciplinary problem.
"Certainlyif a student comes in and they arc disruptive, you should applyyour own
disciplinary policy,"Hespe said. "If they are not disruptive, you should havea policyon
what you do with that child."
The BloomfieldBoard of Education passed a resolution in October sayingthe district
won't punish students who skip the tests and willprovide alternatives, when possible.
"Wethought it was necessary to have an idea in mind early in the schoolyear ofwhat
wcwere goingto do," hoard President DanielAnderson said. "Weare not promoting it
or condoning it, hut the reality is some parents maywant to have their child refusethe
test."
Becauseadministering the tests is required under law,districts must tell students that
the tests are mandatory, regardless of howthey plan to handle those who refuse to take
them, said Richard Bozza,executivedirector ofthe NewJersey Association of School
Administrators.
40. "A district has no authority to say you may opt out," Bazza said. "What they can say is if
children aren't participating we will provide another academic setting."
Yet some districts are reticent to do even that, especially since federal law requires 95
percent of a school's student body to take a state's annual standardized test.
North Brunswick Township, where more than 500 students piloted the PARCCtests
last year, has had only a fewparents indicate they don't want their children to take
them again, district Superintendent BrianZychowskisaid.
(
Zychowskisaid he will inform parents at an upcoming information session that
students who refuse the exams must stay in their classroomwhiletheir classmates test
but willbe allowedto read.
MillburnTownship PublicSchoolswillalso make students whorefusethe test stay in
the classroom, though it hasn't determined what exactlythose students willdo,
Superintendent James Crisfieldsaid. Students willreceivean excusedabsence iftheir
parents keep them home from school,he said.
At Kenilworthpublic schools,Superintendent ScottTaylorhasn't publicizedhis plan to
advisestudents whowant to opt out ofthe tests to simplystay home.And, so far, he
hasn't had any parents contact him, he said.
"Theless I advertise this protocol,the more likelyI will not have that issue,"Taylor
said. "I am really playingthis lowkey."
Adam Clark muy be reachedat adam clark(á1niadvancemedia.com
(mailto:adam clark@niadvancemedia.com). Followhim on tioitter at
@realAdamClark(https:f/hvitter.com/realAdamÇlm•k). Find NJ.com on
Facebook Ozttps:f/www.facebook.com/NJ.com).
Lessons are learned and memories are made in U1e classroom, band room. gymnasium and cafeteria, on
tile walk to school or during the ride on U1e bus. Gallery compiled l1y Greg Hatala I The Star-Ledger
Greg Hatala I The Star-Ledger (bttp:llconnect.ni.com/userO,atalaqlphotos.htm/1
1/27
FORRENT
Clark. NJ
FORRENT
upper Sadulø Riw.r. NJ
nrrJersey
Real Estate
I
······························· .
Garde~
..-~.cii·.~~u~'-'-'!_! ----·
41.
42. QG
Do you believe the PARCC test is
beneficial?
Answered: 91 Skipped: O
sun.eyMonkey Analyze - State Testing sur'Æy
ves
90% 100%
No
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
Hes pons es
Answer 010,ces
ves
70,33%
No 91
lotnl
Q5
Do you feel tired after taking the tests?
Answered: 90 Skipped: l
0% 10% 20% 30% 50% 60% 70% 90% 1()()%80%40%
19
11
rotnl 90
43. Q3
Do you feel that you should take the
PARCC?
Answered: 91 Skipped: O
Yes
No
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 80% 90"/o 100%
Answer cnoices
Yes 18.68% 17
No
Totf.11 91
SureyMonkey Analyze - State Testing sur1.ey
No
Yes
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% lO"!o 80% 90% 100%
Answer 010ices
Yes
No
rotnl
90
44. Ql
Do you like taking the PARCC?
Answorod: 91 Skippod: O
Yes
No
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% b0% 60% 7ffi'o 80% 90% 100%
B
83
9J.
101£11
Q2
How has it effected your grades?
Answered: 91 Skipped: O
Posltvely
Negatively
Notatall
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Answer Choices
Positvcly
Negatively
Not at all
91
]OWi
