Testing opt-out/refusal guide for ARIZONA

State by state template created by UOO, http://unitedoptout.com

Testing opt-out/Refusal guide for Alabama

Form completed by C. Smith

Contact information (email) cerestas@yahoo.com

List of Assessments

ACT ASPIRE (grades 3 8) fully aligned with Common Core State Standards computer-based, longitudinal assessment system that connects growth and progress from elementary grades through middle school in the context of college and career readiness.The Quality Core End-of-Course (EOC) tests: (grades 9 and 10) measure the learning outcomes all students must attain in order to succeed in college and careers. Each assessment includes problem-based questions embedded in both academic and real-world contexts that are accessible and relevant to high school students. These real-world problems require practical applications of concepts, theories, principles, and process. The Quality Core EOC tests for math and reading replace the Alabama High School Graduation Exam (AHSGE) for 9th and 10th graders. Click on the link for dates: http://www.act.org/aap/alabama/files/ALQCChecklistofDates.pdf

ACT Aspire and The Quality Core EOCs are used for NCLB accountability.

The class of 2014 was the last class to take the AHSGE. It will still be offered to aspiring 2014 graduates during the 2014 2015 school year. From 2015 on there are no high stakes tests required for graduation. To see the requirements for graduation, click on the link below: http://web.alsde.edu/general/New_Diploma_FAQs_Revised_January_2014.pdfOther school-administered tests: Explore (grade 8) ACT Explore includes four multiple-choice tests: English, Math, Reading, and Science. This assessment grouping will be given through contractual obligation and then discontinued.PLAN (grade 10) ACT Plan includes four multiple-choice tests: English, Math, Reading, and Science.This assessment will be given through contractual obligation and then discontinued.Work keys (grade 12) ACT WorkKeys, a part of ACT's Work Readiness System, is a job skills assessment system that measures foundational and soft skills and offers specialized assessments to target institutional needs. Successful completion of ACT WorkKeys assessments in Applied Mathematics, Locating Information, and Reading for Information can lead to earning ACT's National Career Readiness Certificate (ACT NCRC).ACT Plus Writing (grade 11) The ACT Writing Test is a 30-minute essay test that measures your writing skills.

Most school systems administer some type of formative, benchmark, or interim tests. These assessments are given frequently and decrease your student(s) time for teachers to provide instructional time for important skills and concepts. Many of them are administered on a computer, often to children as young as kindergarten age. Computer tests are inappropriate for very young children and can be very stressful. Teachers across the state have reported that the results of computer administered tests for these early childhood students frequently yield inaccurate results that fail to inform the teachers of students true strengths and weaknesses. Several commonly administered local tests are: Global Scholar (K - 12), easy CBM, DIBELS, and STAR. We believe that it is in the best interest of students for parents to also request opting out of locally administered assessments. Check your individual school website for specific details on test and test dates for your childs individual school. Attached is a test calendar for Huntsville, Alabama. TestTesting Period

PreK - Grade 12 / STAR Benchmark Assessments will be a Grade in Grade Pre K -12 STAR Enterprise Reading; Math; and Early LiteracyAugust 18- 22, 2014

SchoolNet First 9 Weeks Benchmark Grade K - 5 Reading and Math; Grade 6 -12 Reading , Math, Science and Social Studies Benchmark Assessments. SchoolNet Benchmark Assessment Grade K-12 Math and Reading; Grade 5 & 7 Science; Chemistry; Biology; Physics; and U.S. HistorySeptember 29 October 3, 2014

Grade 8EXPLORETuesday, October 21, 2014

Make Up Wednesday October 22

Grade 10 (PSAT October 15, 2014)PLANTuesday, October 21, 2014

Make Up Wednesday October 22

Site Data Review MeetingsOctober 29 - 31, 2014

SchoolNet Second 9 Weeks Benchmark Grade K - 5 Reading and Math; Grade 6 -12 Reading , Math, Science and Social Studies Benchmark Assessments. SchoolNet Benchmark Assessment Grade K-12 Math and Reading; Grade 5 & 7 Science; Chemistry; Biology; Physics; and U.S. HistoryDecember 9-15, 2014

Grade 12ACT WorkKeys (Internet Version); ACT WorkKeys (PNP - Feb. 10, 2015); ACT WorkKeys (PNP Makeup - Feb. 24, 2015); ACT WorkKeys (Accommodations - Feb. 10-24, 2015)January 1 - February 27, 2015

PreK - Grade 12 / STAR Benchmark Assessments will be a Grade in Grade Pre K-12 STAR Enterprise Reading; Math; and Early LiteracyJanuary 6 -12, 2015

Site Data Review MeetingsJanuary 28 - 30, 2015

SchoolNet Third 9 Weeks Benchmark Grade K - 5 Reading and Math; Grade 6 -12 Reading , Math, Science and Social Studies Benchmark Assessments. SchoolNet Benchmark Assessment Grade K-12 Math and Reading; Grade 5 & 7 Science; Chemistry; Biology; Physics; and U.S. HistoryMarch 2 - 6, 2015

ELL Students - K - Grade 12ACCESS for ELLs and Alternate ACCESS for ELLsMarch 23-May 1, 2015

Grade 3 - 12Alabama Alternate Assessment (AAA)April 13-May 1, 2015

HCS End of Course for: English 9, English 10, English 11, English 12, Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Pre-Calculus, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and U.S. History. ALSDE mandates Algebra I and English 10 for 2014-15 ONLY.ACT Quality Core End of Course Assessments: English 9, English 10, English 11, English 12, Algebra I Algebra II, Geometry, Pre-Calculus, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and U.S. HistoryApril 23 - May 21, 2015

Grade 11ACT Plus WritingApril 28, 2015 Test Day - May 12, 2015 Make Up Day

PreK - Grade 12 / STAR Benchmark Assessments will be a Grade in Grade Pre K -12 STAR Enterprise Reading; Math; and Early LiteracyApril 13 -17, 2015

Grade 5 and Grade 7ARMT+ ScienceMay 4 - 8, 2015

Grade 3-8 ACT Aspire (Math, Reading, Science, & Social Studies) May 4 - 8, 2015

SchoolNet End of Year Benchmark Grade K - 5 Reading and Math; Grade 6 -12 Reading , Math, Science and Social Studies Benchmark Assessments. SchoolNet Benchmark Assessment Grade K-12 Math and Reading; Grade 5 & 7 Science; Chemistry; Biology; Physics; and U.S. HistoryMay 11- 15, 2015

Site Data Review MeetingsJune 3-5, 2015

AHSGE will be offered at ONE high school each Test Window (only for students in the 2010-11 Cohort or previous cohorts)

Students who were First-Time 9th graders in 2010-11 will be the LAST class to have AHSGE as a Graduation RequirementAlabama High School Graduation Exam (AHSGE) Butler HSSeptember 15 -19, 2014

Students who were First-Time 9th graders in 2010-11 will be the LAST class to have AHSGE as a Graduation RequirementAlabama High School Graduation Exam (AHSGE) Columbia HSDecember 1-5, 2014

Students who were First-Time 9th graders in 2010-11 will be the LAST class to have AHSGE as a Graduation RequirementAlabama High School Graduation Exam (AHSGE) Huntsville HSMarch 16-20, 2015

Procedures for opt-out/refusal

For parents who choose to opt out of the testing, following are recommended procedures:

1. Submit an opt out letter to the school site administrator, which includes your rights as the parent or legal guardian of the student (see Get Tough Guide on UOO website). 2. Provide your own written statement that you are aware you are not required to keep your child home during the testing window. 3. Secure alternative in school academic assignments/activities for your child during the testing window. 4. Know the legal requirements for high school graduation, but advocate for alternative assessments to be used to determine student proficiency in the required subjects such as a portfolio review for elementary and middle school students, all of which are voluntary and will provide the parent with the student's actual completed work demonstrating proficiency. 4. Be adamant in your resolve to exempt your child from testing, which can include any or all the following: Seeking legal assistance Seeking police protection if your child meets with verbal or physical force in an attempt to have him/her report to a testing area Organizing and attending regular meetings with opt out support groups or consult online groups Contacting any of the United Opt Out administrators for additional support or information

Sample language to include in opt-out/refusal

To Whom It May Concern:

Please be advised that our child will not be participating in state standardized testing during the current school year. Furthermore, we ask that no record of this testing be part of our child's permanent file, as we do not wish our child to participate in standardized achievement testing for promotion, graduation, or school/state report cards.

We believe the following of forced, high stakes testing:

Is not scientifically-based and fails to follow the U.S. Government's own data on learning Fosters test driven education that is not meeting the individual/intellectual needs of students Presents a racial and economic bias detrimental to second language students, impoverished students, and students of color Violates fiscal fairness in funding schools Supports complicity of corporate interests rather than democracy based on public concerns Fosters coercion over cooperation with regards to federal funding for public education Promotes a culture of lying, cheating, and exploitation within the school community Has used the achievement gap to foster a de facto segregation that has resulted in separate and unequal education for minorities

We understand that federal law provides the parent or guardian the right of choice regarding standardized testing when such testing violates beliefs. In contrast to our beliefs, which are firmly rooted in a moral code that embraces equity and fairness, we believe such testing is not in the best interests of our child since it fosters competition instead of cooperation, contributes to separate and unequal education for minorities, and belies our child's intellectual, creative, and problem-solving abilities, while presenting a fictitious picture as to the impact of the pedagogy provided by our child's individual educators.

Ultimately, our state is required to provide our child with an education in a least restrictive environment that does not force us to go against our core beliefs. My child should proceed to learn and develop at an individual pace following education standards that are imparted under the guidance of education professionals, not market-based reformers, who are able to provide quality pedagogy without fear of reprisal if students - who mature at vastly different levels and come from diverse backgrounds that may or may not be supportive of intellectual pursuit - do not hit the bulls' eye of a constantly moving achievement target.

Therefore, we request that the school provide appropriate learning activities during the testing window and utilize an alternative assessment portfolio or concordant college testing score to fulfill promotion and or graduation requirements, as our child opts out of standardized testing.

Sincerely,

Child's Name ____________________________________________

ID#_________________________

State specific watch-listTeach For America (Wendy Kopp)

Additional or miscellaneous information

Common Core State Standards (CCSS) were adopted by Alabama legislators in 2010 and reaffirmed in 2011. However, many Alabama citizens and legislators are opposed to CCSS because local control has been usurped. Additionally, they have been implemented without following the laws for experimental procedure. This lack of following procedure has been referred to as cognitive abuse on children who are being used as test subjects.

Below is a definition of what is scientifically proven data:

Both the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) require that schools use programs, curricula, and practices based on scientifically-based research to the extent practicable. This means that whenever possible, the educational interventions being used must be strongly supported by evidence from well-conducted research studies. Educational research may be said to be scientific when it includes the following:

Uses a sound research design Is tested teaching strategy Is based on high quality data analysis Researchers who have carefully collected, stored and examined the data Involves other researchers to review the results Study is reported in a journal so other researchers can review the methods used and repeat the research in other settings.

From Parentcenternetwork.org-resource

Also, parents may take into consideration the laws that are allegedly violated by the standards, the testing, and the data collection.: Constitution, The GeneralEducationalProvisions Act, the No Child Left Behind Act, the FamilyEducationalRights and Privacy Act, and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment?TheGeneralEducationalProvisions Act (20 USC 1232a) (GEPA)also prohibits federal overreach. Itstates:No provision of any applicable program shall be construed to authorize any department, agency, officer, or employee of the United States to exercise any direction, supervision, or control over the curriculum, program ofinstruction, administration, or personnel of anyeducationalinstitution, school, or school system, or over the selection of library resources, textbooks, or other printed or published instructional materials by any education institution or school system, or to require the assignment or transportation of students or teachers in order to overcome racial imbalance.

Elementary and Secondary EducationAct of 1965 as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (20 USC 7907(a)) (NCLBA)also makes the federal over-reach of CCSS ill-advised. Itstates:Nothing in this Act shall be construed to authorize an officer or employee of the Federal Government to mandate, direct, or control a State, localeducationalagency, or schools curriculum, program ofinstruction, or allocation of State and local resources, or mandate a State or any subdivision thereofto spend anyfundsor incur any costs not paid for under this Act.

FERPA FamilyEducationalRights and Privacy Act (20.U.S.C. Sect 1232get seq), which is a national Student Privacy Lawrequiringwritten parental consent. FERPA provides student and parent access to school records and a parents right to request modification of them; as well as protecting confidentiality of student records. It should be noted that a student or teacher who feels that one of these statutes passed by the United States Congress has been violated by state action may bring an action in a federal court after exhausting the applicable administrativeremedies.

Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), (20 U.S.C. 1232h), whichrequires[School District] to notify you and obtain consent or allow you to opt your child out of participating in certain school activities. These activities include a student survey, analysis, or evaluation that concerns one or more of the following eight areas (protected information surveys): Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or students parent; Mental or psychological problems of the student or students family Sex behavior or attitudes; Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior; Critical appraisals of others with whom respondents have close family relationships; Legally recognized privileged relationships, such as with lawyers,doctors, or ministers; Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or parents; or Income, other than as required by law to determine program eligibility. This requirement also applies to the collection, disclosure or use of student information for marketing purposes (marketing surveys), and certain physical exams and screenings.

This is not a legal document. It is for informational purposes only.Template revised: 9.1.14