Blog

TitleDateExcerpt
How to Evaluate Your School District’s Transparency on Testing PoliciesA school district’s testing policy affects instructional time, student stress, family decisions, and the use of sensitive education records. Yet parents often…
The Role Of Parent Triggers In New York Education ReformParent triggers are laws or organized processes that give families a formal role in changing a low-performing school. Depending on the state, parents may…
A Family Plan For Opting Out Of State AssessmentsFamilies in New York may decide that standardized testing does not serve their child’s educational needs. Creating a thoughtful plan for declining state…
Questions To Ask About State Tests In Your Child’s ClassroomState assessments can influence what happens in a classroom long before scores arrive. A teacher may use test blueprints to plan lessons, review released…
How the Common Core shapes learning for gifted studentsGifted and advanced students need curriculum that moves at an appropriate pace, offers genuine intellectual challenge, and allows room for independent inquiry.…
Understanding New York Teacher Data ReportsNew York parents may receive a Teacher Data Report when their child’s teacher has been evaluated through the state’s Annual Professional Performance Review…
Why Some Teachers Oppose Common Core in New York ClassroomsTeachers who oppose the Common Core often base their views on daily classroom experience rather than abstract policy debates. They see how standards, testing…
Building District Support for Testing Opt-OutsSocial media can help parents, educators, and community members understand testing opt-outs without turning a local education debate into a stream of…
Diagnostic Tests And High-Stakes AssessmentsTesting can serve very different purposes in a school. A teacher may use a short quiz to identify which skills a student has mastered and which require more…
County Resolution Templates for Local Education ActionCounty resolutions can give parents, educators, and elected officials a practical way to express opposition to Common Core and request greater local control of…
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