North Fork Parents: Is Your Child Opting Out of Testing?

Students in New York State will sit down this week to take the infamous Common Core tests.

Approximately 60,000 students opted out of testing in 2014, according to the New York Post. Even more students are expected to opt out this year in protest of the tests.

A deafening outcry from parents, students, teachers, and politicians on both sides of the aisle has grown over the past few years since the tests were instituted. On Long Island, educational leaders have overwhelmingly joined the opposition.

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In Southold, the school district Superintendent David Gamberg sent home information for parents back in March to inform them on the option of opting out, including a link to the NYS Allies For Public Education website which provides parents with a format for a refusal letter.

“In an effort to provide all available information and options to parents, the following is the current information for opting out of New York State’s testing for grades 3 to 8,” the district wrote in a message to parents. “This is solely information, we are not guiding you for or against the tests, but we feel that having this information is important. Whether or not you decide for your child to take the test is your choice.”

The South Shore created a red line down Sunrise and Montauk Highways in March in protest of the exams. Hundreds lined the streets in protest with cardboard cutouts of Cuomo and signs exclaiming “kids not numbers.”

Cuomo’s increased consequences of test scores only further infuriated its opponents.

After 96 percent of New York teachers were rated effective or highly effective, Cuomo insisted the ratings were “baloney” in his State of the State address. He suggested that50 percent of a teacher’s rating be connected to their students’ scores because principals’ observations tended to be positive, according to The New York Times.

Tenure was also a factor in the changes this year, with teachers having to wait an additional year before having eligibility and requiring teachers to have three ratings of effective or highly effective in that period, according to the report. Districts could also fire teachers who receive two consecutive ineffective ratings.

On the other hand, supporters of testing insist it is the best way to gauge the success of each student to provide better education.

High Achievement New York said testing provides “a rigorous, clear and consistent set educational standards created with input from our teachers, parents, principles and state leaders and adopted by New York State in 2011” that “will help ensure that every New Yorker can reach their potential, no matter their background.”

Parents: Is your child opting out of the 2015 New York State tests? Why or why not? What is your reasoning for your decision? Vote in the poll below (which is being posted on all Long Island Patch sites) and explain in the comments.