School Superintendent Reminds Parents: No Opt-Out Policy For PARCC Exams

The Caldwell-West Caldwell Schools superintendent is reminding parents that there is no opt-out policy for the upcoming Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) exams.

But, parents who are refusing to allow their children to take the tests should send a letter to their school principal by Feb. 20, Superintendent James G. Heinegg said in a letter posted on the district’s website.

Schools will not have alternative activities for those students, so they should bring reading or other study materials to school on those days, he said in the letter.

In the letter, Heinegg said:

• The tests will be done in two sessions, in March and May.
• Total test-taking time will range from about 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 hours, depending on grade level.
• The PARCC exams replace NJ ASK Mathematics and Language Arts tests for third through eighth grades.
• Fourth through eighth grade students will still take the NJ ASK Science tests.
• Ninth-, tenth-, and eleventh-graders will also take end-of-course tests for Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and Language Arts.
• PARCC is the state’s graduation test for the Classes for 2016, 2017, and 2018. But, students can also use several other tests, including the SAT, ACT, and PSAT, to meet the state graduation test requirements. More information about those requirements are available on the district’s website.