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Seattle schools back down from standardized test after protests
Source: Reuters
Seattle schools back down from standardized test after protests
By Eric M. Johnson
SEATTLE | Tue May 14, 2013 7:04pm EDT
(Reuters) - The Seattle public school system, facing a rebellion that stoked the national protest movement over standardized testing in U.S. public schools, is backing away from the contentious multiple-choice exam for its upcoming school year.
Teachers, educators, and students at several Seattle schools staged a boycott in January against the computerized Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test, saying it was not aligned with the state's curriculum and produces "meaningless results" upon which teachers' performances are evaluated.
The school system, which serves more than 45,000 students, had initially threatened protesting teachers with punishment, including a possible 10-day unpaid suspension, according to a memo obtained by Reuters. It later softened its stance, saying no teachers would be penalized.
"High schools can opt out for the next academic year but they have to show evidence of another way to assess and monitor students," Seattle Public Schools spokeswoman Lesley Rogers said on Tuesday, referring to the test which is currently required twice a year in Seattle.
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By Eric M. Johnson
SEATTLE | Tue May 14, 2013 7:04pm EDT
(Reuters) - The Seattle public school system, facing a rebellion that stoked the national protest movement over standardized testing in U.S. public schools, is backing away from the contentious multiple-choice exam for its upcoming school year.
Teachers, educators, and students at several Seattle schools staged a boycott in January against the computerized Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test, saying it was not aligned with the state's curriculum and produces "meaningless results" upon which teachers' performances are evaluated.
The school system, which serves more than 45,000 students, had initially threatened protesting teachers with punishment, including a possible 10-day unpaid suspension, according to a memo obtained by Reuters. It later softened its stance, saying no teachers would be penalized.
"High schools can opt out for the next academic year but they have to show evidence of another way to assess and monitor students," Seattle Public Schools spokeswoman Lesley Rogers said on Tuesday, referring to the test which is currently required twice a year in Seattle.
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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/14/us-usa-education-testing-idUSBRE94D18D20130514