More on Opting-Out of Standardized Testing

Some more info on opting-out of state testing…

You can access local information on Facebook at “Long Island Opt-out Info“.

Western New Yorkers for Public Education brings us this comprehensive guide to opting-out of New York’s standardized tests…

 

Opting Out

Recently the United Opt Out movement has been gaining some steam as many states are gearing up for standardized testing.  This movement is beginning to take root in the community that we work in along with the communities that any of us reside in.  This movement describes itself as follows…

Members of this site are parents, educators, students and social activists who are dedicated to the elimination of high stakes testing in public education. We use this site to collaborate, exchange ideas, support one another, share information and initiate collective local and national actions to end the reign of fear and terror promoted by the high stakes testing agenda.

This blog first mentioned this movement back on January 22nd.  Certainly if you are a parent of school aged children who will be taking the upcoming tests you may be interested in exploring this further.

A Must Read Article, Opting Out, BOE Candidates, Karen Lewis

A MUST READ article on the Democratic Party, how they have embraced neoliberal education reforms, and the impact of the Chicago Teachers Union on this.

If any of our members are parents who wish to have their own children OPT-OUT of standardized testing this year, this link may help you.

If any of our members are interested in running for their home school district’s BOE, please see us… we can help you.

Finally, the CTU’s Karen Lewis speaking in Manhattan this weekend…

NYCORE Conference 2013 – Karen Lewis Keynote from Grassroots Education Movement on Vimeo.

AFT President Randi Weingarten Arrested for Fighting School Closures

According to her Twitter feed, AFT President Randi Weingarten has been arrested for fighting school closures.  More on this breaking news as it comes in…

 

The Network for Public Education

Today was an exciting day for all friends of public education who have had a chance to witness The Network for Public Education.  This organization was launched by many of public educations strongest advocates, including Diane Ravitch, Leonie Haimson, Anthony Cody, and several others.  You can read Coday’s article on it here.  The organization describes itself as in this way…

The Network for Public Education is an advocacy group whose goal is to fight to protect, preserve and strengthen our public school system, an essential institution in a democratic society. Our mission is to protect, preserve, promote, and strengthen public schools and the education of current and future generations of students. We will accomplish this by networking groups and organizations focused on similar goals in states and districts throughout the nation, share information about what works and what doesn’t work in public education, and endorse and rate candidates for office based on our principles and goals. More specifically, we will support candidates who oppose high-stakes testing, mass school closures, the privatization of our public schools and the outsourcing of its core functions to for-profit corporations, and we will support candidates who work for evidence-based reforms that will improve our schools and the education of our nation’s children.

You can register to become a member of The Network for Public Education here.

Calling All Activists!

A few opportunities to speak out against the overuse and misuse of standardized testing…

United Opt Out National is hosting “Occupy 2.0: The Battle for Public Schools” from April 7-10th in Washington D.C.  Speakers over the course of the weekend include Diane Ravitch, Leonie Haimson, Nancy Carlsson-Paige, Brian Jones, and Karen Lewis.

New York Principals are hosting “More than a Number: How State Testing is Affecting the Educational and Emotional Health of Our Children” on April 10th at the Hofstra University Adams Playhouse at 7:00 pm.  Click here to register.