Title: As Common Core Testing Is Ushered In, Parents and Students Opt Out - The New York Times
Headings: As Common Core Testing Is Ushered In, Parents and Students Opt Out
As Common Core Testing Is Ushered In, Parents and Students Opt Out
Content: That is down from the 30 percent the state initially announced. The figure will be re-evaluated before a decision is made on next year’s percentage. Steve Wollmer, director of communications for the union, said the group does not oppose teacher evaluations. The union was motivated to get involved, he said, because true teaching is being replaced by test preparation. He also said union members were concerned that poor students would be at a disadvantage because the tests will be taken on computers, and those students might have less experience with keyboards. Some of the loudest objections to the tests, which are also being used by 10 other states and Washington, D.C., are coming from parents. Image
The art classroom at Bloomfield Middle School, where students who opted out of testing will go on Monday. Credit...
Bryan Anselm for The New York Times
Several groups in New Jersey, at least one working closely with the teachers’ union, have organized events where parents can take the exam for themselves or watch movies about the dangers of too much standardized testing. One such event was scheduled for Sunday for parents to gather at a Montclair firehouse to nibble light refreshments while watching “ The Other Parcc: Parents Advocating Refusal on High Stakes Testing .”