In Rhode Island, while students are "expected" to participate in state assessments, there is no law "requiring" them to do so.
While there is no formal process for opting out of testing, parents can refuse to allow their children to participate in standardized tests and surveys.
We have posted a sample letter that has been successfully used by parents in Rhode Island
Submit your refusal letter at the beginning of the school
year, if possible, or at least two weeks prior to testing to allow ample time for your district to respond.
Update February 7, 2015:
Commissioner Gist has sent several field memos to all RI superintendents recently. It is apparent that these memos are meant to intimidate school officials and parents into accepting the PARCC testing for their students. Please read these memos from January 16, 23, and 30, 2015 in full pertaining to the PARCC testing before making any decision about Refusing the testing for your children.
Pertaining specifically to the 2014-2015 school year
From the January 23 field memo:
“As the RIDE team noted in the webinar, we will use our 2015 PARCC results neither for school classifications, graduation decisions, nor student-growth scores.”
“For 2015, however, RIDE will not move any school into the status of Warning, Focus, or Priority (our three lowest classifications).”
“At least for this school year, school districts and schools cannot use PARCC scores or achievement levels as components in determining a student’s grade because these results will not be available during the current school year.”
“What happens to students who do not
participate in PARCC assessments? Will they receive a score of “0”?
On our previous assessments, students
who made no attempt to respond to questions were counted as nonparticipants. We
are in discussions with superintendents as to whether this will continue to be
our practice or whether these students should count as participants with a
score of zero (“0”)
.” (emphasis added)
"Can PARCC participation rates or results affect college
acceptance?
Colleges and universities participated in the design and development of the
PARCC assessments, and postsecondary institutions may use PARCC results
reviewing applications. We would not expect postsecondary institutions to use
PARCC results in decision-making this year. Further, we see no likelihood that
the participation rate for a school would affect decisions colleges make about
individual students.”
"Can districts have policies in place that require students to participate in PARCC assessments?"
Yes. If you have a policy in place and
you follow that policy for all students, RIDE will back you up in your actions.
(emphasis added)
"What if parents refuse in writing to have their children
participate in PARCC assessments?
There is no recognized process, procedure, or form to refuse participation in a
specific school activity.”
"Are the only options for parents refusing to participate to keep their children home from school?
RIDE has agreed to facilitate discussions with LEAs about the best approaches to take on this matter." (emphasis added)
Please note
: In a
personal email to Sheila Resseger on January 30, 2015, Elliot Krieger, Office of the
Commissioner, R.I. Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, wrote:
"RIDE will not recognize “parental refusal” as an approved reason for students’ not taking PARCC assessments. Any students not approved for non-testing who do not participate in PARCC assessments will count against school, district, and state participation rates . We will count as nonparticipants (rather than participants with a score of zero) any students who make no effort to take PARCC assessments, including those who attend a testing session ." (emphasis added)
A number of RI parents are still determined to Refuse the PARCC for their children this March. Some have already presented letters to their school officials. In some districts they have been accepted; in others the parents continue to be in dialogue with their school officials. Parents need to realize that they may experience pushback from administrators who may not be fully informed as to parents’ rights to have input into their children’s education. Please realize that Refusal may rise to the level of Conscientious Objection. Remember that the well-being of children is the first priority.
Sheila Resseger, M.A.
Steps to Opt Out/Refuse the Testing
See
http://fairtest.org/common-core-assessments-factsheet for a fact sheet on “Common Core Assessment Myths and Realities: Moratorium Needed From More Tests, Costs, Stress”
See http://www.fairtest.org/why-you-can-boycott-testing-without-fear for “Why You Can Boycott Standardized Tests Without Fear of Federal Penalties to Your School”
Disclaimer: None of the advice presented here is to be assumed to be legal advice. It is meant to be informational, only. Please research thoroughly and discuss with your school district to be confident in your actions before you proceed.
ATTENTION PARENTS
and GRANDPARENTS
Find out how over-testing and the misuse of testing affects YOUR children
Ask the school to provide:
What are the Problems with High Stakes Testing? *
Re: DATA COLLECTION CONCERNS*
CHANGES MADE TO FERPA TO FIT COMMON CORE DATA COLLECTION: The federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA, was enacted in 1974 to protect the privacy of education records. In 2008 and 2011, amendments to FERPA gave third parties, including private companies, increased access to student data. In 2008, the amendments to FERPA expanded the definitions of ‘school officials’ who have access to student data to include ‘contractors, consultants, volunteers, and other parties to whom an educational agency or institution has outsourced institutional services or functions it would otherwise use employees to perform.’
By opting out and clearly refusing to allow your child’s data to be stored, you are helping to stop Common Core and High Stakes Testing.
*ideas taken from United Opt Out National and the UOO “Parent Guide to Common Core and High Stakes Testing/ PARENTS ARE THE KEY,” copyright 2013
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PUT YOUR CHILDREN THROUGH THIS COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE HIGH STAKES TESTING ORDEAL!
Opt Out/Refuse/Boycott state and federally mandated standardized testing !
Remember —Boycotting the testing is not breaking the law. You do not need to ask permission—you are doing what is right for your child.
Further reassurance : In an email dated September 18, 2014, Dr. Phyllis Lynch, Director, Office of Instruction, Assessment, & Curriculum at the Rhode Island Department of Elementary & Secondary Education responded to questions regarding non-participation in the PARCC (Common Core) testing in this way:
"We expect all students to participate in state assessments, but no law requires participation."
In response to a further email, she responded on September 24, 2014:
"PARCC is in the
process of establishing codes for students who do not participate in the PARCC
assessment. Students who opt out of participation in the assessment, like
other students who do not take the assessment for a variety of reasons, would
not receive a score. For school accountability and for public reports, we
calculate both participation rates and the percentage of students who attain
proficiency (and other scoring levels). Students who opt out of participation
on state assessments will be counted as a non-participant when we calculate
participation rates, but the nonparticipating students will not receive a score
of “0” when we calculate the percent of students who attained proficiency."
"It is up to
local school districts to determine what accommodations will be available to
students who do not participate in PARCC assessment. Parents should meet
with their children’s teachers or other school or district leaders to determine
what their children will do during the time when other children are taking
state assessments."
"Opting out of participation in state assessments, under current state laws and regulations, will not affect a student’s placement, grade retention, or receipt of special services, nor will opting out affect a teacher’s evaluation. Parents should discuss with local school officials whether any local policies in their district or school can affect placement, grade retention, or receipt of special services. For high-school students, however, participation in state assessments has been a diploma requirement since 2003. Under a state law passed this year, state assessments cannot be a diploma requirement until the Class of 2017 – our current 10th graders"
Steps to Opt Out/Refuse the Testing
See http://fairtest.org/common-core-assessments-factsheet for a fact sheet on “Common Core Assessment Myths and Realities: Moratorium Needed From More Tests, Costs, Stress”
See http://www.fairtest.org/why-you-can-boycott-testing-without-fear for “Why You Can Boycott Standardized Tests Without Fear of Federal Penalties to Your School”
Disclaimer: None of the advice presented here is to be assumed to be legal advice. Please research thoroughly and be confident in your actions before you proceed.
The information presented here is endorsed by the Coalition to Defend Public Education (Providence, RI), United Opt Out/RI, RI BATs, Stop Common Core in RI, and the Collapse the Core Facebook groups.
Compiled by Wendy Holmes, Sheila Resseger, United Opt Out RI and United Opt Out
Contact information: Sheila Resseger [email protected]