{"id":13502,"date":"2015-04-13T10:01:35","date_gmt":"2015-04-13T14:01:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/?p=13502"},"modified":"2015-04-13T10:01:35","modified_gmt":"2015-04-13T14:01:35","slug":"growing-number-of-parents-appear-ready-to-opt-out-of-state-mandated-tests","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/growing-number-of-parents-appear-ready-to-opt-out-of-state-mandated-tests\/","title":{"rendered":"Growing Number of Parents Appear Ready to Opt Out of State Mandated Tests"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ELA_test_for_web_t670\"<\/a>ALBANY – More than a million students in grades 3-8\u00a0 across New York are scheduled to take state-mandated English Language Arts and Math starting this week. However, thousands of those students will not be taking the exams after parents from across the state have decided to “opt out.”<\/p>\n

According to an article in Elmira\u2019s Star Gazette<\/em><\/a>, a parent-led effort to opt their children out of New York’s standardized tests appears to have gained momentum in recent weeks, with the head of the state’s teachers union, various labor-backed groups and even the Working Families Party of New York throwing support behind the movement.<\/p>\n

The surge in opt-outs could may cause problems for local school districts, who are facing a threat of potential sanctions from the state Education Department if participation rates on the exams are low. If a district falls below a 95 percent participation rate, the state can impose sanctions – with the most severe punishment being a cut in federal funding.<\/p>\n

Some officials say as many as 200,000 parents and students could opt out this year, with many of them living her in Chautauqua County. Last week during the Jamestown School board meeting, Superintendent Tim Mains briefly talked about the importance of the exams, explaining that its crucial for the district to have a high number of students take the exam because it is state law and the district is not in any kind of position to be faced with possible sanctions.<\/p>\n

According to the Star Gazette<\/em> article, the state doesn’t tally the number of parents who refused the test on their children’s behalf. But 67,000 students who didn’t take the 2014 math exam had no “known, valid” excuse, along with 49,000 students who skipped the English Language Arts test, according to the state Education Department.<\/p>\n

The “opt out” movement gained steam last year with both parents and teachers voicing concern over the state’s widely criticized rollout of the Common Core, a more-challenging set of education standards being implemented in New York and more than 40 other states.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

ALBANY – More than a million students in grades 3-8\u00a0 across New York are scheduled to take state-mandated English Language Arts and Math starting this week. However, thousands of those students will not be taking the exams after parents from across the state have decided to “opt out.” According to an article in Elmira\u2019s Star […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":13503,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Growing Number of Parents Appear Ready to Opt Out of State Mandated Tests","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[4],"tags":[3106,3099,765,1668,5106],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/ELA_test_for_web_t670.jpg?fit=670%2C402&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3YlJ4-3vM","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":17673,"url":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/standardized-testing-begins-this-week-in-jamestown-across-ny-state\/","url_meta":{"origin":13502,"position":0},"title":"Standardized Testing Begins This Week in Jamestown, Across NY State","author":"WRFA Radio","date":"April 4, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"JAMESTOWN - It\u2019s time once again for students across New York State to show what they know, and that includes students here in Jamestown and the rest of Chautauqua County. Standardized testing begins this week for students in grades 3 through 8, who will be taking ELA (English Language Arts),\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Local News"","block_context":{"text":"Local News","link":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/category\/news\/local-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/ELA_test_for_web_t670.jpg?fit=670%2C402&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/ELA_test_for_web_t670.jpg?fit=670%2C402&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/ELA_test_for_web_t670.jpg?fit=670%2C402&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13988,"url":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/reed-co-sponsors-empower-legislation-in-support-of-opt-out-movement\/","url_meta":{"origin":13502,"position":1},"title":"Reed Co-Sponsors EMPOWER Legislation in Support of Opt-Out Movement","author":"WRFA Radio","date":"May 26, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"WASHINGTON - Congressman Tom Reed (R-NY) is joining a bipartisan effort that addresses the recent opt-out movement involving standardized testing. The Corning Republican \u2013 who represents Chautauqua County in Washington \u2013 has partnered with Connecticut Democrat Rosa DeLauro in introducing the EMPOWER Act, which stands for Enable More Parents to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Local News"","block_context":{"text":"Local News","link":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/category\/news\/local-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/reptomreed.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":13533,"url":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/jamestown-superintendent-says-overwhelming-majority-of-students-are-taking-common-core-exams\/","url_meta":{"origin":13502,"position":2},"title":"Jamestown Superintendent Says ‘Overwhelming Majority’ of Students are Taking Common Core Exams","author":"WRFA Radio","date":"April 15, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"JAMESTOWN, NY - A new round of testing is now underway across New York State, but as an estimated one million students in third through eighth grades began taking their common core tests, also known as standardized tests, for English Language Arts (ELA) on Tuesday, thousands of their peers\u00a0 have\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Local News"","block_context":{"text":"Local News","link":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/category\/news\/local-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/TimMains.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":17676,"url":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/reed-backs-parents-who-want-to-opt-out-their-children-from-taking-standardized-tests\/","url_meta":{"origin":13502,"position":3},"title":"Reed Backs Parents who Want to Opt-Out Their Children from Taking Standardized Tests","author":"WRFA Radio","date":"April 4, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"WASHINGTON - Congressman Tom Reed (R-Corning, NY 23) has signed off on a letter to the U.S. Department of Education reasserting parents and students\u2019 right to opt-out of high stakes federal testing. Reed is one of a handful of lawmakers who\u2019ve signed off on the letter, with only eighteen other\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Local News"","block_context":{"text":"Local News","link":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/category\/news\/local-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/reptomreed.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":13339,"url":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/more-details-on-education-reform-surface-as-lawmakers-continue-to-pass-state-budget\/","url_meta":{"origin":13502,"position":4},"title":"More Details on Education Reform Surface as Lawmakers Continue to Pass State Budget","author":"WRFA Radio","date":"March 31, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"ALBANY - State lawmakers will continue with a busy day today in Albany as they work to approve various bills for the 2015-16 state budget. On Sunday night, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders announced that a budget deal had been reached \u2013 less than three days before the April\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Local News"","block_context":{"text":"Local News","link":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/category\/news\/local-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/State-Capitol-Albany-NY.jpg?fit=1200%2C401&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/State-Capitol-Albany-NY.jpg?fit=1200%2C401&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/State-Capitol-Albany-NY.jpg?fit=1200%2C401&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/State-Capitol-Albany-NY.jpg?fit=1200%2C401&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/State-Capitol-Albany-NY.jpg?fit=1200%2C401&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13526,"url":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/listen-jamestown-superintendent-tim-mains-discusses-standardized-testing\/","url_meta":{"origin":13502,"position":5},"title":"[LISTEN] Jamestown Superintendent Tim Mains Discusses Standardized Testing","author":"WRFA Radio","date":"April 15, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Originally airing Tuesday, April 14 during WRFA's Local Rush Hour program. WRFA Public Affairs Director Jason Sample talks with Jamestown Public Schools Superintendent Tim Mains about Standardized Testing, which is now underway in the Jamestown School District and across New York State for students in grades 3 through 8. Mains\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/category\/news\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/TimMains.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13502"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13502"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13502\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13504,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13502\/revisions\/13504"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13503"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13502"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13502"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13502"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}