If You Want to Opt Out, Be Sure You Know How in Seattle Public Schools
It has come to my attention that just submitting a signed, date form requesting your child to opt out of SBAC testing may not suffice at some schools.
The SBAC page at SPS says this:
Here's the SBAC page at SPS. I note that when you hit the spot for the form to refuse, it does NOT take you to the form. It takes you to yet another page. Here's the link to the SBAC form.
In the SBAC form, I'm supposing they want you to realize, in humiliating detail, how you are failing your child. I also have to laugh at stating "my reason" - honestly, it's not SBAC or SPS' business.
I will ask if the SBAC form is the only one being taken by schools or are principals allowed to make anything up that they want.
The SBAC page at SPS says this:
Families who refuse to allow their children to participate in assessments, including Smarter Balanced, must submit the refusal in writing, signed and dated, to go in the student's permanent record file. Parents or guardians must submit this refusal annually. Families may use THIS FORM or submit a clear written and signed document.That's rather interesting wording in red as I might perceive they mean it has to be hand-written, not typed. Why that would be, I don't know.
Here's the SBAC page at SPS. I note that when you hit the spot for the form to refuse, it does NOT take you to the form. It takes you to yet another page. Here's the link to the SBAC form.
In the SBAC form, I'm supposing they want you to realize, in humiliating detail, how you are failing your child. I also have to laugh at stating "my reason" - honestly, it's not SBAC or SPS' business.
I will ask if the SBAC form is the only one being taken by schools or are principals allowed to make anything up that they want.
Comments
The district claims a budget gap of $11m. How much did these licenses cost?
SBAC will be given to obtain BASELINE scores. Did the district pay for SBAC tests?
http://www.wera-web.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/State-Assessment-Refusal-Protocol-rev-12-19-14.pdf
just fyi
SBAC and PARCC are privately owned so states have to license to use them. It is basically free to do so BUT I can't believe there is not a cost to districts.
Interesting side note, I was researching something in MA and found out that only 54% of the districts there are using PARCC; the rest are using the old state test. Amazing that they got the choice.
These people need to make up their minds (or maybe they want to sow confusion).
From OSPI:
Let parents know that they can request to see their child’s completed state assessment after the tests are scored. To do this, parents submit a written request to the state assessment office at OSPI, and the booklets or link to the child’s online tests are sent to the district assessment director who then contacts the parents to schedule the viewing. Information about this is at www.k12.wa.us/assessment/StateTesting/StudentRecordRequest.aspx.
Doesn't the Times, and these two august senators, understand that "A Modest Proposal" is Jonathon Swift's great satire? Don't they realize that their story satire AND farce, with a straight face telling us to just do...this...little....law in order to, you know, get rid of the "distraction" of that $40 million so the august legislature can get on with the important business of discussing education in Washington....evidently the legislature is too...distracted to do anything noteworthy about 1351 or McCleary, which might include spending state money to take care of the students these two senators purport to be concerned about.
Pure satire, pure irony, a "modest proposal" indeed.
Wow.
In the piece, as well, they flat out lie, saying that Seattle, at least already includes test scores as part of the teacher evaluation, when, in fact, test scores are only trigger mechanisms: If a teachers scores were low, they would trigger closer scrutiny but not factor into the evaluation itself.
Why do we need a superintendent at all? What is he doing to earn his salary?
CCA
-StepJ
-StepJ
You can opt-out on a post-it, written in the car, in a hurry.
On the bus, on the back of a grocery receipt.
While waiting in line somewhere, on a scrap of paper.
You can opt out after testing has started--pull your kid mid-field. I have.
The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), even says that you can opt out VERBALLY, no written form needed. Do you want the document that reveals this? Let me know, via this blog, and I will send it to you.
Don't cave. Parents have incredible power, we just need to harness it, utilize it. Our votes outweigh their money, no doubt about it.
Insolidarity-
-Opted Out in W. Seattle
Reader47
Can an 11th grade parent explain to me why they would even consider having their kid test?
The school will then be administering the test as required, but students self-opt themselves out?
-StepJ
Reader
scruples
wondering
Antitest Mom
1) Although there is a form that you can use to opt out, you don't have to use it to opt out.
2) you don't have to use any specific language to opt-out (there were some rumors swirling around that you needed to say exactly what's on the form--you don't)
3) it can be hand-written.
4) high schoolers 16 and older can opt themselves out. Of course, below 16 kids have to be opted out by the parents.
5) in accordance with #4, there was a little bit of discussion (including with some kids at the meeting) about the concept of the kids just refusing to take the test, regardless of parental notes.
Roosevelt Mom
TOPS Parent
HCC Mom
Repost:
I am not anti-testing. I am anti-8 hour testing on 8 year olds. That's too much. My MCAT was significantly shorter. The fact that my child tells me how they spend class time test prepping to beat the test ("when you answer an essay question always start your essay restating the question as a statement in your first essay sentence so that you incorporate key words and show you are answering the question to the reviewer's satisfaction" - eeew) is disheartening. Call me crazy, I would rather they spent that precious language arts instruction time actually teaching language arts, you know, things like grammar paragraph structure, rather than test-taking strategies. And when the children have finished being coach on test taking strategies, they then carry on language arts blocked time to go to the computer lab to type. They are hunting-and-pecking to try and type their meager stories, instead of spending time drafting, editing and polishing their writing. My older child had a very different 3rd grade experience in the same building a few years ago. I blame the SBACS. It is NOT the teachers' fault. The teachers are wonderful. It's the intrusion of these tests into the 3rd grade (recall, the MSP was 2 subject areas in 3rd grade, not 3).
"Our school is asking parents/guardians to fill out the form for our records."
To which I responded "You may ask but I'll follow district policy on this one, thanks."
Haven't heard back from them again.
Roosevelt Dad
I opted out using just an email - but also checked with the principal to be sure nothing more is needed. If something more is needed I'll provide it.
I've been organizing other elementary school parents to opt out. I've had the most success in one-on-one conversations. No pressure, just a question, "are you opting out?" or a statement "we opted out." So many parents are already angry about these tests or the district in general, so often it's just a matter of giving them a form. Or showing them the test.
-Bad Form
But it's wrong to have each school do its own thing. It is a legal option for parents and students and that should be respected.
pagefive
I contacted someone at the district and was told there was a slight delay with a portion of the SS materials that were supposed to be available for review today, so they expect everything to be available Monday.
They are also apparently working to make them available to review online. I was told they are planning to send out an email that explains everything on Monday.
HIMSmom