Dive Brief:
- The U.S. Department of Education has proposed sanctioning schools that do not get at least 95% participation in state standardized tests, and with a public comment period on the proposal now closed, a decision is imminent.
- The Lower Hudson Journal News reports nearly 16,000 comments have been submitted since May 31, when the proposed rule suggested lowering high opt-out schools’ state ratings to the lowest performance level and requiring changes to improve test participation.
- In New York, where the opt-out movement has been especially strong, schools worry the proposed rule would have a devastating effect on local property values and school reputations, even for good schools.
Dive Insight:
New York was one of the first to implement statewide standardized tests tied to the Common Core State Standards, and because the new tests were more rigorous and computer-based, scores were very low and tech problems were widespread. The state also moved to tie teacher evaluations to test results even as students and teachers were still getting used to the new standards and the new testing format. This decision has since been reversed, but the damage had largely been done. The high stakes nature of the new tests and implementation troubles spurred a backlash against testing more generally and the time students spend being assessed. In the 2015 testing season in New York, one in five students refused to take the test, supported with an endorsement from the New York State United Teachers union.
The Obama administration has been moving quickly to release rule-making relating to the Every Student Succeeds Act before the president leaves office in January. What happens to high opt-out schools — if anything — is likely to be decided in this timeframe.