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OPINIONS:
THE MANY MYTHS OF THE VALUE OF STATE TESTING
By Noah Blumenthal
As our district prepares to discuss school testing, I’d like to share a few questions. Let me preface this by saying I am a proponent of district wide opt out. Only by not allowing any student to take the test can we stop teachers and administrators from worrying that their evaluations will hinge on test performance. With that in mind, here are my questions (and my answers): READ MORE Northwordnews Editorial
TESTING RESOLUTION A GOOD FIRST STEP BUT CHANGE MUST BEGIN HERE AT HOMEThe North Shore School Board was right to take up a resolution at its July 1st meeting calling on State officials to reform New York’s “top-down,” “one-size fits all” high stakes standardized testing approach to education. . . . Unfortunately Albany moves slowly, and these actions will not provide immediate relief from the high stakes testing culture that has developed in this district and others. Yes –the tests and APPR are bad. Neither accurately or fairly evaluates students or teachers – especially when students are being prepped for the test. What is more harmful than the testing itself, however, is how districts have responded to it. . . . READ MORE
Some History
Expansion of Federal Power over Public Education and the Loss of Local Control (Click on picture to enlarge)
The Science:
Do High Stakes Tests Improve Academic Achievement? Educational Leadership, February, 2003.
Impact of High Stakes Testing on Students with Learning Disabilities. greatschools.org Risks of High Stakes Testing - Education World 
CORPORATE ED REFORM - THE ONE SIZE FITS ALL APPROACH TO EDUCATION
RESISTING CORPORATE ED REFORM |
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NORTH SHORE SCHOOL BOARD TO TAKE UP DISTRICT'S STATE TESTING PHILOSOPHY AT THURSDAY MEETING
Updated September 22 (earlier version posted on July 2) -- On Thursday, September 26, the North Shore Board of Education will meet in the Middle School Cafeteria at 7:30 pm to discuss the District's philosophy in relation to New York State standardized assessments. This is the third time in six years that the Board has sought to officially articulate its position on the issue. In 2007, the Board adopted a white paper which minimized the importance of the tests and emphasized a more authentic educational experience - the traditional philosophy of the District. In 2010, after a recalibration of state cut-off scores and an outcry over North Shore students' perceived decline in performance, the pendulum swung towards an official policy which placed greater emphasis on test preparation. READ MORE
Northword Articles
SCORES ON GRADES 3-8 STATE TESTS FALL SIGNIFICANTLY ACROSS NEW YORK; NORTH SHORE DECLINES MORE MODEST
August 7 - - Wednesday morning, New York State Department of Education officials released school test results for the grades 3-8 English Language Arts (ELA) and Math assessments. The numbers state-wide showed a significant drop in the percentage of students achieving proficiency. Declines for the North Shore School District were significantly more modest than what took place across New York. READ MORE
STATE TESTING DOMINATES TALK AT LIBRARY MEETING WITH EDWARD RA
Last evening, the Gold Coast Library in Glen Head hosted a meet and greet event with Assemblyman Edward Ra (R-Franklin Square). . . The issue of New York State testing dominated the event, as several audience members asked questions related to the issue. Read More
BOARD OF EDUCATION CONSIDERS ANTI-TESTING RESOLUTION
NEW LEGISLATION
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Related Articles on the Web
NEW PARCC TESTS EXPECTED TO COST DISTRICTS $29.50 PER STUDENT
Median cost/pupil is $29.95 and ranges from $10.95 in Georgia to more than $60 per/student in Maryland
HOW NOT TO EVALUATE TEACHERS
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