The push to refuse state tests for students in grades in 3 to 8 continued last week and has been gaining momentum, as evidenced by the number of “opt outs” for both the ELA and math exams. A record number of 66,921 students on Long Island opted out of the New York State math exams this year, and in the Oyster Bay-East Norwich School District, a total of 41 percent, or 253 eligible students, chose not to take the math tests last week. That number was up from 31 percent ELA exam refusals.
The state tests are required by the federal government and under federal regulations, if a school has less than 95 percent of its students participating in the assessments, the school could lose significant federal funding, according to Board of Regents Chancellor Merryl Tisch.
Advocates for test refusals contend that the Common Core standards move typical math standards down two grade levels, so that third-graders are now doing math problems that were previously given to fifth-grader, and that the purpose of testing has changed.
“While the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Teachers Association values high standards for both teachers and children, the New York State Education Department’s overreliance on state tests creates unfortunate consequences for our students, teachers and schools,” said Joanne Loring, the union’s president.
