Who is Involved?

Many students, parents, educators, and concerned community members have joined together to form various, diverse groups determined to change high-stakes testing policies. Despite the variety of organizations, most groups cite similar reasons for being anti-testing. Opponents of high-stakes testing focus on the detrimental impact these tests have on students, teachers, and schools as a whole, by increasing student anxiety and narrowing the curriculum and teachers begin to ‘teach to the test’. Other organizations focus on early childhood testing, protesting NCLB and the widespread testing policies that test children in grades 3-8, and some that test in kindergarten.

Several groups consist solely of students, such as the Providence Student Union, a group of student activists who came together to protest the Rhode Island NECAP as a graduation requirement, and Students Against Testing (SAT), a group of students nationwide who oppose high-stakes testing in schools. Other groups involve students, teachers, parents, or a combination of all three, really strengthening the power of the anti-testing grassroots movement. The varied composition of these organizations demonstrates the extensive impact of this issue.

“NEA leaders and members—who have been clamoring to stop the testing madness for years—are grateful parents have joined the fray. Now there’s hope that by acting together, a movement could finally end the current drill and kill testing regime.”²⁴

Many groups are focused on encouraging parents to opt out of standardized tests in their local public schools. Some organizations, such as ParentVoices NY, NYS Allies for Public Education, and Change the Stakes, provide petitions for parents to sign as well as the paperwork the parents need for opting out of testing.

Success

“This victory over the MAP test would not have been possible without the united efforts of educators, parents and students from around the city, state, nation, and the world.”¹²

Grassroots organizations can make a huge difference in educational policy. Recently, the organization ‘Scrap the MAP’ was victorious last year in Seattle. Scrap the MAP organized around a group of teachers at Garfield High School who refused to administer the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) test due to deep flaws in the test and its irrelevance to the curriculum. Teachers at this school organized themselves to boycott this test, and a grassroots organization of parents and students formed in support of these teachers. As a direct result of their activism, teachers at Garfield High School received this message in May, 2013: “High schools may opt out of MAP in 2013-14.”¹² This victory demonstrates the true power grassroots organizations can wield, and the change they can inspire with their activism.

“Our actions as a staff have reignited the belief that a group of people can make a difference. And the students feel our passion and drive which ignites their passion to be at school.”¹²

“I think the Seattle Schools’ final position on the MAP this year is evidence of the power of teachers. We carved out a bit of time from our overwhelming responsibilities to take on some of the worst features of so-called education reform, and we moved mountains.”¹²

Challenges

Grassroots anti-testing organizations face many challenges in fighting against the implementation of high-stakes testing. The federal government has long espoused the use of these standardized tests, and many federal and state educational policies include these tests. Anti-testing organizations have to fight to actually change policies, not just educate others about the issue. Due to the nature of high-stakes testing, groups have to display real activism and dedication to the cause in order to truly enact change. Another challenge these groups face is the numerous people praising high-stakes testing and touting its benefits publicly. A number of public figures, such as Bill Gates, Michelle Rhee, and Arne Duncan, to name a few, publicly espouse the benefits and need for these tests. Grassroots organizations need to fight against a society who has heard about only the benefits of these tests, thus requiring these groups to educate other parents and community members about the negative consequences of testing.

“Winning changes against entrenched state and federal high-stakes testing policies will be a longer, harder task. But the upsurge in opposition to destructive high-stakes testing increases the likelihood of such victories”¹⁴

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*Images were taken from:

a. http://neatoday.org/2014/06/17/the-high-stakes-testing-culture-how-we-got-here-how-we-get-out/

b. http://scrapthemap.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/scrap-the-map-forum-attendees-solidarity-photo/

c.http://www.hamptoninstitution.org/optingout.html#.VI8Eh41dW3M