From United To Counter: IS YOUR CHILD STRESSING THE UPCOMING STATE EXAMS? DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN REFUSE THE TESTS? Myth vs. Fact: MYTH: My child is required to take the state ELA & Math tests for grades 3-8. FACT: Under NYS law, any minor child can REFUSE to take these exams. MYTH: My child might be left back if he/she doesnt take the tests. FACT: The only way the test can be held against your child is if he/she fails it. MYTH: If my child refuses, he/she will be forced to take the harder city/district tests instead. FACT: If your child refuses, the only legal and common alternative assessment will be a portfolio of his/her classwork & class exams from the year. MYTH: If my child refuses, my school will lose funding. FACT: Schools will only lose funding if many children do poorly on the exams. MYTH: If my child refuses, he/she will be given a zero grade. FACT: If a child refuses the tests, it is marked code 999, refusal, and given no grade at all. MYTH: My childs teacher will face negative consequences if he/she refuses the tests. FACT: Legally, test refusals do not impact teachers at all. If your administration uses refusals against teachers, they are choosing to do so and are very wrong to do so. MYTH: The state exams are required for entry into middle and high school. FACT: The portfolio assessment is completely acceptable by virtually all public schools. MYTH: The state exams show how my child is doing in school. FACT: The state exams are often so convoluted they arent accurate indicators of any genuine academic progress. MYTH: Teachers need the state exam scores to see where my child is and to help him/her with any deficiencies. FACT: Nobody sees the state tests’ scores until MONTHS later, so teachers cannot use the scores for any instructional purposes. MYTH: It is very difficult to refuse to allow my child to take the state exams. FACT: In 2014, over 77,000 students refused to take the New York State ELA & Math Exams for grades 3-8. All you have to do is fill out this letter, print it, and send or bring it i REFUSE THE STATE TESTS. TELL ALBANY THAT HIGH-STRESS, HIGH-STAKES, HIGH-PROFIT TESTING IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR OUR CHILDREN. TELL NEW YORK STATE THAT WE WANT YEAR-LONG “TEACHING TO THE TESTS” TO END.
Posted on: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 03:00:12 +0000
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