Fair test: Opt Out numbers top 500,000 - press release

FairTest________________________

National Center for Fair & Open Testing                                                                                               

for further information:

Bob Schaeffer       (239) 395-6773

Lisa Guisbond      (617) 959-2371                                                           

for immediate release Wednesday, November 18, 2015

MORE THAN 500,000 STUDENTS REFUSED STATE TESTS ACROSS U.S. IN 2015;

EVEN BROADER PROTESTS PLANNED FOR SPRING 2016 EXAM SEASON

GROWING OPT-OUT MOVEMENT SPURS ASSESSMENT REFORMS

 

     Around the U.S., well over half a million public school students refused to take standardized exams during the 2015 testing season, according to a preliminary tally released today. The count by the National Center for Fair & Open Testing (FairTest), a leader of the national assessment reform movement, is based on news reports and detailed surveys by local activists. 

Among the largest state opt-out figures (with sources):

-  240,000   New York (news reports and New York State Allies for Public Education counts) 

-  110,000+ New Jersey (Save Our Schools New Jersey)

-  100,000   Colorado (Chalkbeat Colorado and SEEK for Cherry Creek)

-    50,000+ Washington State (news reports) 

-  ~20,000   Oregon (news reports)

-  ~20,000   Illinois (More Than a Score)

-    10,000   New Mexico (news reports)

-       ?  ?     Other states not yet reporting

 

“The opt-out movement and other assessment reform initiatives exploded across the country this year as more parents said ‘enough is enough’ to high-stakes testing overkill,” explained FairTest Executive Director Monty Neill. “If anything, the estimate of half a million opt-outs in 2015 is low because many states have denied requests to make test refusal data public. This intense grassroots pressure is beginning to force policymakers to roll back standardized exam misuse and overuse.”  

 

FairTest Public Education Director Bob Schaeffer concluded, “The assessment reform movement is energizing ever-growing legions of parents, students, educators, school administrators, and community leaders. In the 2016 testing season, we expect many more families to refuse to take part in unnecessary testing, which undermines educational quality and equity.” 

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- for details about local assessment reform campaigns:

            New York -- Lisa Rudley 917-914-9190 or Jeanette Deutermann 526-902-9228

            New Jersey -- Susan Cauldwell 908-507-1020 or Julie Borst 201-693-3808

            Colorado -- Ilana Spiegel  303-523-0711 or Stefanie Fuhr 303-483-1196

            Washington State -- Jesse Hagopian 206-962-1685

            Illinois  -- Cassie Creswell 716-536-9313

- to reach assessment reform organizers in other jurisdictions, see the state-by-state list of contacts at:

                                      http://www.fairtest.org/get_involved/state_resources

 

- FairTest’s recent report “Testing Reform Victories 2015: Growing Grassroots Movement Rolls Back Testing Overkill” is online at: http://www.fairtest.org/sites/default/files/2015-Resistance-Wins-Report-Final.pdf

-- 
Monty Neill, Ed.D.; Executive Director, FairTest; P.O. Box 300204, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130; 617-477-9792; http://www.fairtest.org; Donate to FairTest: https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/fairtest

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