Anyone else's kids refusing state tests?

[Tinijocaro]

We are in Ny state. My 6th grader will not be taking any state tests this year. Last year DS refused the 8 grade rests. My two older kids always took them, I guess we hadn't given them a thought.

The tests do not benefit my kids in any way and test prep takes away from actual instruction. Being in education, I learning more and more that teachers in general support refusal of taking these tests.

 

[Coonhound]

We are in Ny state. My 6th grader will not be taking any state tests this year. Last year DS refused the 8 grade rests. My two older kids always took them, I guess we hadn't given them a thought.

The tests do not benefit my kids in any way and test prep takes away from actual instruction. Being in education, I learning more and more that teachers in general support refusal of taking these tests.

We began refusing any state testing for our son starting in 8th grade. My son had been working with a teacher to prepare for state testing and was hurt in the process and since then we do not do any type of testing like that, It's not worth the stress, anxiety, etc for a score that means nothing. We were homeschooling for a while but went back to school but still remove him from school for testing days.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

If you refuse the test can you refuse the prep?

I don't know if we can refuse here, but we don't do any prep.

 

[Tinijocaro]

Not sure if you can refuse prep since it is often just part of the school day. You can refuse the practice tests though.

 

[Cadets74]

We are in NY and going to Disney the week of the English state test... We have 3 kids that will be taking them (3rd, 7th, and 8th grade)... I talked to one of their teachers and they said it doesn't affect their grade and that's all they do for those 3 days... So I'm all for them not taking them and only missing 2 actual school days... They will still take the math test when it comes around, but really I am not a fan of the direction of Education in New York... Last year my daughter was sick over the test and the pressure... Looking forward to giving her her first disney trip instead of a stupid worthless state test.

 

[Tinijocaro]

If you refuse the test can you refuse the prep? I don't know if we can refuse here, but we don't do any prep.

Any teacher whose job is tied to the results of these tests is doing test prep. Teaching to the test is becoming all too common. I know they hate it but their hands are tied.

 

[princessmerida]

It must be nice to be allowed to refuse to take it. I work in a school in Florida and if the students do not take the FCAT test or if they do poorly on it, they fail the grade and are held back. This has caused so many students to be stressed and depressed and most of them eventually just drop out. I find the whole concept of the test to be completely and utterly ridiculous.

 

[luvsJack]

Not sure if our lower grade students can refuse the test but high school students cannot. They cannot graduate without passing the tests. Well, until next year when every thing changes.

 

[Tinijocaro]

[QUOTE="Cadets74;50955296". They will still take the math test when it comes around, but really I am not a fan of the direction of Education in New York... Last year my daughter was sick over the test and the pressure... Looking forward to giving her her first disney trip instead of a stupid worthless state test.[/QUOTE]

Why not cut out of the math test too? If she's getting herself that worked up and this test does not benefit her in ANY way...why would you have her do it?

 

[Tinijocaro]

It must be nice to be allowed to refuse to take it. I work in a school in Florida and if the students do not take the FCAT test or if they do poorly on it, they fail the grade and are held back. This has caused so many students to be stressed and depressed and most of them eventually just drop out. I find the whole concept of the test to be completely and utterly ridiculous.

http://unitedoptout.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Florida-OPT-OUT-Guide-FINAL-July-1-PM.doc

Please scroll down this document for opt out/ refusal guidelines. You absolutely have the right to refuse these tests. Our kids are being used as guinea pigs for these large testing companies ( Pearson).

 

[Tinijocaro]

[QUOTE="Cadets74;50955296". They will still take the math test when it comes around, but really I am not a fan of the direction of Education in New York... Last year my daughter was sick over the test and the pressure... Looking forward to giving her her first disney trip instead of a stupid worthless state test.

Why not cut out of the math test too? If she's getting herself that worked up and this test does not benefit her in ANY way...why would you have her do it?[/QUOTE]

I messed up that quote!

Anyway, here are resources for anyone in NYS on refusing the state tests. All the work has been done for you, just add your child's name and print. Send it the teachers involved and principal.

http://www.nysape.org/refusing-the-test-resources.html

 

[undertheradar]

Strange since our kids are required to have a 21 or higher on the ACT as part of graduation requirements. Just don't see the issue with taking the tests.

 

[Cadets74]

Why not cut out of the math test too? If she's getting herself that worked up and this test does not benefit her in ANY way...why would you have her do it?

I messed up that quote! Anyway, here are resources for anyone in NYS on refusing the state tests. All the work has been done for you, just add your child's name and print. Send it the teachers involved and principal. http://www.nysape.org/refusing-the-test-resources.html[/QUOTE]

She is actually pretty good at math and not as stressed... Really it was just convenient for our Disney Trip... We would have had our older boys take it if we weren't leaving... We did talk about opting out of English for our daughter last year... We originally planned to go another week but moved it when we saw the test dates... it is nice to know they won't be missing a lot of actual school... They will be there for review and she's going to stress a little cause were not telling them about the trip until we leaving (if she gets to stressed again we will tell her she's not taking it)

 

[Cadets74]

Strange since our kids are required to have a 21 or higher on the ACT as part of graduation requirements. Just don't see the issue with taking the tests.

It's not the same test... Kids in ny still take the SAT in high school and the grades are very important... These tests are just to grade the school and teachers... But the schools put huge pressure on the kids cause it reflects the district rating.

 

[Cadets74]

My wife just reminded me my that the reason my daughter was so stressed last year was cause she was told by someone that her teacher could loose her job if they did bad... I don't think it was a specific person, but a rumor passed around by the kids

 

[Hannathy]

If it doesn't do anything to their grades why not take them for practice? There will be a lot of tests they have to take and the more test taking practice you get the better. Why not look at it as AP test or ACT or SAT or MCAT or any of a multitude of tests you have to take in your life practice.

If it doesn't count tell them not to worry and stress. That's what we always told our kids.

 

[cassandrap83]

In Florida, students MUST take the FCAT and pass or they cannot go to the next grade. (certain grades)

 

[mhfrau]

In Florida, students MUST take the FCAT and pass or they cannot go to the next grade. (certain grades)

This. And in high school you will get a Student Assessment report a couple of times of a year to let you know where your kid is with all of the required standardized testing for graduation purposes. For example, you must pass the grade 10 FCAT in Reading and Writing to graduate for my son's grad year. And even if you pass with a "meets grade level" if your score is borderline they require you to take the PERT test to determine college readiness.

I guess I don't get what the big deal is about having to take the state mandated testing. My kid hates them, but we just tell him that it is what it is and not to stress because in the end they don't really mean a stinking thing.

 

[Tinijocaro]

If it doesn't do anything to their grades why not take them for practice? There will be a lot of tests they have to take and the more test taking practice you get the better. Why not look at it as AP test or ACT or SAT or MCAT or any of a multitude of tests you have to take in your life practice.

If it doesn't count tell them not to worry and stress. That's what we always told our kids.

I want much more for my kids education than going from one test to another. There's no exploration or creativity in test taking. My kids have some wonderfully talented teachers who are not allowed to teach in a creative way due to all these tests.

My kids will study AP tests to get ready for the AP's, not some state test written by a huge money making corporation such as Pearson, who has no vested interest in education. My kids will do practice SAT tests and ACT tests to prepare for those tests.

Do we really want the education of our kids to come down to going from one bubbly sheet test to another? I don't.

 

[Tinijocaro]

This. And in high school you will get a Student Assessment report a couple of times of a year to let you know where your kid is with all of the required standardized testing for graduation purposes. For example, you must pass the grade 10 FCAT in Reading and Writing to graduate for my son's grad year. And even if you pass with a "meets grade level" if your score is borderline they require you to take the PERT test to determine college readiness.

I guess I don't get what the big deal is about having to take the state mandated testing. My kid hates them, but we just tell him that it is what it is and not to stress because in the end they don't really mean a stinking thing.

If you read the link I gave earlier on the FCAT, you will realize that you can opt out/refuse. You just have to show proof that your child has mastered the skills required. Your schools would NEVER tell you that.