The back-to-school agenda for the growing, national assessment reform movement is straight-forward: cut the volume of standardized testing; eliminate high-stakes exam misuses; encourage alternative accountability systems. Campaigns are already having an impact in many states.
NationalTake Advantage of Opportunities to Testify at State Hearings on ESSA Plans
https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2016/08/19/please-testify-in-state-hearings-on-essa-plans-point-out-the-road-away-from-test-and-punish/
AlabamaState Holds Public Meetings for Input on ESSA Plan
http://www.wsfa.com/story/32782956/this-is-what-the-new-every-student-succeed-act-means-for-alabama
CaliforniaFormer State Super Says “Build and Support” Better Than “Test and Punish”
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/on_california/2016/08/former_calif_school_chief_pushes_back_against_test-and-punish_reforms.html
California Single Score Is Misleading Way to Judge Public Schools
http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/soapbox/article96732257.html
FloridaParents Challenge Test-Based Third Grade Retention in State Court
http://www.politico.com/states/florida/story/2016/08/parents-challenge-bush-era-third-grade-retention-law-in-nine-hour-long-court-hearing-104891
Florida School Is Back, and So Is the State’s Testing Obsession
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/os-school-testing-florida-overload-scott-maxwell-20160817-column.html
Florida Testing Company Fined $4.8 Million for Computer Testing Screw Ups
http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/gradebook/testing-company-fined-48-million-for-2015-problems-in-florida-department/2290259
IdahoState Seeks Input for New Ed. Accountability Model
http://www.idahoednews.org/news/state-seeks-input-officials-continue-developing-school-accountability-model/
KentuckyMore Than 200 Testing Violations Cited
http://www.kentucky.com/news/local/education/article96918447.html
MississippiSchool Test Scores Should Be Viewed in Context
http://www.cdispatch.com/opinions/article.asp?aid=52293
Mississippi Are Students Taking Too Many Tests?
http://www.dailyleader.com/2016/08/21/students-taking-too-many-tests/
New JerseyUseless Testing Gap Analysis
http://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2016/08/useless-testing-gap-analyses-and.html
New MexicoCriticism of New Computer-Based Reading Exams
http://www.abqjournal.com/827699/new-computer-reading-test-raises-questions-at-aps.html
New Mexico Educators Respond to Test Score Release
http://www.ladailypost.com/content/nea-nm-president-parcc-student-test-results
New YorkCould You Solve a Math Test Written in Another Language?
http://www.uticaod.com/news/20160817/local-students-hit-language-barrier-on-state-proficiency-exams
New York Why the Good News About Testing Really Isn’t
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/08/16/why-the-good-news-about-new-standardized-test-scores-really-isnt/
OhioU.S., Senate Candidate Attacks High-Stakes Testing
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2016/08/16/Strickland_opposes_high-stake_testingx_public_money_for_charter_schools.html#
Ohio Public Comments Sought on New Federal Education Law
http://www.toledoblade.com/Education/2016/08/23/Ohioans-urged-to-comment-on-new-federal-education-law.html
NevadaCompany Fails to Return Individual Test Scores to 200,000 Students
http://www.rgj.com/story/news/education/2016/08/18/company-fails-return-test-scores-200000-nv-students/88954602/
PennsylvaniaAdministration Seeks to Move Graduation Requirements Away From Standardized Tests
http://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2016/08/19/Pennsylvania-looking-at-other-ways-to-assess-high-school-seniors-readiness/stories/201608190167
Pennsylvania School Tests Are Just One Measure of Student Achievement
http://www.mcall.com/opinion/mc-standardized-tests-school-pacitti-yv–20160820-story.html
TennesseeTrying to Rebuild Testing System After Statewide Collapse
http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/education/2016/08/17/education-department-works-answer-tnready-questions/88824046/
TexasDallas School Year Will Start with One-Third Fewer Tests
http://keranews.org/post/dallas-isd-school-year-will-start-fewer-tests
Texas Testing Glitches Trigger Reprieve for Thousand of Students Who Failed State Exam
http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news/local/texas-testing-glitches-trigger-reprieve-for-studen/nsJSz/
Texas Judge Denies State’s Request to Throw Out Suit Against School Exams
http://elpasoheraldpost.com/judge-denies-states-request-toss-staar-suit/
WashingtonTesting Opposition Persists as Test Scores Inch Up
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/education/article96062477.html
Washington Educators Dispute Value of Test Results
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/aug/19/standardized-testing-educators-dispute-value/
Washington Assess the Tests Not Just Students and Schools
http://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/editorial-assess-the-tests-as-well-as-the-kids-in-school/
West VirginiaDon’t Use Smarter Balanced Scores for College Scholarships
http://www.wvgazettemail.com/gazette-letters-to-the-editor/20160819/letter-smarter-balanced-exam-is-not-the-way-for-wv-to-go-gazette
ACT/SATElite Colleges Are Ditching a Major Admissions Testing Requirement
http://www.businessinsider.com/sat-2-scores-range-colleges-2016-8
ACT/SAT Birmingham-Southern College Moves to Test-Optional Admissions
http://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2016/08/birmingham-southern_college_go.html
Worth ReadingParents Concerned That EdTech Explosion Promotes “Big Testing” Agenda
http://parentsacrossamerica.org/paa-challenges-negative-effects-edtech/
Worth Reading “Eat Your Dinner, Or Else”
https://themerrowreport.com/2016/08/17/eat-your-dinner-or-else/