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<h1>Movement to End High-Stakes Testing Steps Up in Seattle</h1>

<div><div><div><p><span>This story originally appeared at <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Education/2013/0111/Standardized-test-backlash-Some-Seattle-teachers-just-say-no">www.csmonitor.com</a>.</span></p>  <p>Forty-five minutes after school let out Thursday afternoon, 19 teachers at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Seattle" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">Seattle</a>'s    <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Garfield+High+School" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">Garfield High School</a> worked their way to the front of an     already-crowded classroom, then turned, leaned their backs against the wall of whiteboards, and fired the first salvo of open defiance against high-stakes     standardized testing in <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/United+States" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">America</a>'s public schools.</p>  <p>To a room full of TV cameras, reporters, students, and colleagues, the teachers announced their refusal to administer a standardized test that     ninth-graders across the district are mandated to take in the first part of January. Known as the MAP test&mdash;for Measures of Academic Progress&mdash;it is     intended to evaluate student progress and skill in reading and math.</p>  <p>First one teacher, then another, and then more stepped forward to charge that the test wastes time, money, and dwindling school resources. It is also used     to evaluate teacher quality.</p>  <blockquote>Garfield&rsquo;s civil yet disobedient faculty appears to be the first group of teachers nationally to defy district edicts concerning a standardized test.</blockquote>  <p>&ldquo;Our teachers have come together and agreed that the MAP test is not good for our students, nor is it an appropriate or useful tool in measuring progress,&rdquo;     said Kris McBride, academic dean and testing coordinator at Garfield High. &ldquo;Additionally, students don&rsquo;t take it seriously. It produces specious results     and wreaks havoc on limited school resources during the weeks and weeks the test is administered.&rdquo;</p>  <div>  <p>Garfield&rsquo;s civil yet disobedient faculty appears to be the first group of teachers nationally to defy district edicts concerning a standardized test,         but the backlash against high-stakes testing has been percolating in other parts of the country.</p>  </div>  <ul><li> The New York State Principals association recently issued <a href="http://www.newyorkprincipals.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a scathing letter</a>, nearly         four pages of &ldquo;unintended negative consequences&rdquo; it claims such tests foment. </li>  </ul><ul><li> In <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Maryland" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">Maryland</a>,        <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Montgomery+County" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">Montgomery County</a> Public Schools Superintendent Joshua Starr has         called for a three-year moratorium on standardized testing. </li>  </ul><ul><li> In north <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Texas" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">Texas</a> last year, superintendents of several high-performing school         districts signed a letter to state officials and lawmakers saying high-stakes standardized testing is &ldquo;strangling our public schools.&rdquo; As of Jan. 8,         880 districts that educate more than 4.4 million Texas students have adopted a resolution opposing these tests. </li>  </ul><p>&ldquo;This high-stakes testing&mdash;there <em>needs</em> to be a moratorium on it because it&rsquo;s out of control,&rdquo; says Carol Burris, principal of South Side High School in <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Rockville+Centre" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rockville Center</a>,    <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Long+Island" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">Long Island</a>, N.Y. &ldquo;None of these tests really have anything to do with     curriculum. Maybe they have a little bit to do with math. But that&rsquo;s it.&rdquo;</p>  <div>  <p>Dr. Burris co-authored the letter for the <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/New+York" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">New York State</a> principals. On Dec.         31, she started a petition in New York opposing high-stakes testing. In 10 days, she says, 5,500 administrators, teachers, and parents have signed it.</p>  </div>  <p><b>To read the rest of this article, please visit the <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Education/2013/0111/Standardized-test-backlash-Some-Seattle-teachers-just-say-no">Christian Science Monitor</a>.</b></p>  <hr width="50%"><p><strong>Interested?</strong></p>  <ul><li>High school history teacher Jesse Hagopian celebrates the moment when his students started making their own history.</li>  <li>More and more people are waking up to the mismatch between what is taught in schools and what we need to know. What can you do about it?</li>  <li>Corporations often take big helpings of public funds, saying that they&rsquo;ll provide jobs in return. But how can communities make sure they deliver?</li>  </ul></div><!-- <img src="c437a04eb078488d91ff7220482bd1ba"> --></div><!-- <p>Dean Paton is a correspondent for <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Education/2013/0111/Standardized-test-backlash-Some-Seattle-teachers-just-say-no">The Christian Science Monitor</a>, where this article was originally published.</p> --></div><!-- <a href="resolveuid/a84b9981d1d5f79ab853ac9b061b0455">My Greatest Teaching Moment<br></a>High school history teacher Jesse Hagopian celebrates the moment when his students started making their own history. --><!-- <a href="resolveuid/a51501b0feacc567cf345d483edab059">Take Back Your Education<br></a>More and more people are waking up to the mismatch between what is taught in schools and what we need to know. What can you do about it? --><!-- <a href="resolveuid/54d494c81c03dcdbab5d3ee186121a6b">Time for Some Good Jobs Guarantees<br></a>Corporations often take big helpings of public funds, saying that they&#8217;ll provide jobs in return. But how can communities make sure they deliver? -->

<p>This article originally appeared in <a href="https://www.yesmagazine.org">Yes! Magazine</a> at <a href="https://www.yesmagazine.org/democracy/2013/01/15/movement-end-high-stakes-testing-takes-stand-seatle">https://www.yesmagazine.org/democracy/2013/01/15/movement-end-high-stakes-testing-takes-stand-seatle</a>.</p><link href="https://www.yesmagazine.org/democracy/2013/01/15/movement-end-high-stakes-testing-takes-stand-seatle" rel="canonical"/><p>Yes! Magazine is a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of ... . Learn more at <a href="https://www.yesmagazine.org">Yes! Magazine</a></p><img id="republication-tracker-tool-source" src="https://www.yesmagazine.org/?republication-pixel=true&post=11182&ga4=G-74QJNNY44Z" style="width:1px;height:1px;">

Movement to End High-Stakes Testing Steps Up in Seattle

This story originally appeared at www.csmonitor.com.  Forty-five minutes after school let out Thursday afternoon, 19 teachers at Seattle's    Garfield High School worked their way to the front of an     already-crowded classroom, then turned, leaned their backs against the wall of whiteboards, and fired the first salvo of open defiance against high-stakes     standardized testing in America's public schools.  To a room full of TV cameras, reporters, students, and colleagues, the teachers announced their refusal to administer a standardized test that     ninth-graders across the district are mandated to take in the first part of January. Known as the MAP test—for Measures of Academic Progress—it is     intended to evaluate student progress and skill in reading and math.  First one teacher, then another, and then more stepped forward to charge that the test wastes time, money, and dwindling school resources. It is also used     to evaluate teacher quality.  Garfield’s civil yet disobedient faculty appears to be the first group of teachers nationally to defy district edicts concerning a standardized test.  “Our teachers have come together and agreed that the MAP test is not good for our students, nor is it an appropriate or useful tool in measuring progress,”     said Kris McBride, academic dean and testing coordinator at Garfield High. “Additionally, students don’t take it seriously. It produces specious results     and wreaks havoc on limited school resources during the weeks and weeks the test is administered.”    Garfield’s civil yet disobedient faculty appears to be the first group of teachers nationally to defy district edicts concerning a standardized test,         but the backlash against high-stakes testing has been percolating in other parts of the country.     The New York State Principals association recently issued a scathing letter, nearly         four pages of “unintended negative consequences” it claims such tests foment.    In Maryland,        Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Joshua Starr has         called for a three-year moratorium on standardized testing.    In north Texas last year, superintendents of several high-performing school         districts signed a letter to state officials and lawmakers saying high-stakes standardized testing is “strangling our public schools.” As of Jan. 8,         880 districts that educate more than 4.4 million Texas students have adopted a resolution opposing these tests.   “This high-stakes testing—there needs to be a moratorium on it because it’s out of control,” says Carol Burris, principal of South Side High School in Rockville Center,    Long Island, N.Y. “None of these tests really have anything to do with     curriculum. Maybe they have a little bit to do with math. But that’s it.”    Dr. Burris co-authored the letter for the New York State principals. On Dec.         31, she started a petition in New York opposing high-stakes testing. In 10 days, she says, 5,500 administrators, teachers, and parents have signed it.    To read the rest of this article, please visit the Christian Science Monitor.  Interested?  High school history teacher Jesse Hagopian celebrates the moment when his students started making their own history.  More and more people are waking up to the mismatch between what is taught in schools and what we need to know. What can you do about it?  Corporations often take big helpings of public funds, saying that they’ll provide jobs in return. But how can communities make sure they deliver?

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