School board to state: Three-year switch to new standardized tests

Palm Beach County School Board members added their voices Wednesday night to growing opposition to state-mandated testing and its consequences, unanimously adopting a resolution in protest. The resolution was one of the actions board members decided on last week during a workshop. The two-page “Resolution on Accountability” details a long list of problems related to…

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Florida suspends a controversial exam as debate widens over school testing

After weeks of protests, Florida testing critics claimed a victory Monday: The state suspended one of its tests. Education Commissioner Pam Stewart ended the Florida Assessments for Instruction in Reading, known as the FAIR test, in kindergarten through second grade. In its place, teachers will observe children’s reading abilities in a more informal setting than…

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Computer glitch cause Florida to scrap standardized test for K-2 students

TALLAHASSEE — Florida’s littlest learners won’t have to worry about some standardized tests this year, the state education department said Monday. The announcement came after school systems, including Miami-Dade, ran into technical troubles administering the Florida Assessments for Instruction in Reading to students in kindergarten through second grade. State Education Commissioner Pam Stewart promptly suspended…

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Teacher takes a stand, refuses to give standardized test

An Alachua County teacher is risking her job to take a stand against what she says is unnecessary standardized testing. Susan Bowles, 59, has 26 years of education experience and is currently teaching kindergarten at Chiles Elementary. Testing of kindergarten students has increased over the years, she said, but it reached a crescendo for her…

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Testing revolt brews in Florida as Miami schools chief urges delay in new exams

In Florida, the state where former governor Jeb Bush (R) pioneered the use of high-stakes standardized tests for school “accountability” purposes, a testing revolt is unfolding. Late last month, the Lee County school board voted to drop all state-mandated tests as an act of “civil disobedience,” though the vote was rescinded because of fear that…

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District computer capabilities not an issue in opt-out debate, Florida education department says

While Lee County residents debated opting out of Florida’s testing program on principle, one Pasco County mom suggested the focus should be on the technical.  Heidi Janshon, a Pasco elementary school parent and Common Core foe, told the School Board they, too should walk away from the new Florida Standards Assessments that students are slated…

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