Change the Stakes to Press on Opt Out Numbers: Do Your Job

We are a volunteer-driven group focused on helping to inform parents of their rights and advancing conversations between parents, educators, policy makers, and the general public about high stakes testing. It is not our responsibility to count/hand over numbers. Have them ask DOE for a count of how many children (by grade, by district) did not take the exams, and make that info public. ‎ Have the DOE report on how many letters have been handed in (as if!). Have the DOE report how many schools have gone below 95 Percent or whatever. ... CTS steering committee member

There are many reasons why I love this group.
CTS has been getting press requests for NYC opt out numbers.

What we know is that the numbers are rising, that more and more families in more neighborhoods are getting involved, and that the policy changes to lower the stakes have not gone far enough/have not translated into a reduced emphasis on testing. We do not ask every parent we speak with or who somehow comes across our information or the DOEs FAQ to contact us for purposes of counting. It's just a fundamentally flawed request.