How to opt out of in-person public school assessments

[IansMom]

My son attends a virtual school that is part of a public school system. I recently received a letter that stated:

“The State of ——- requires all students in grades 3-8 to take the ACAP Summative Assessment... We are working on finalizing the testing dates and locations so that you can make plans now to have your child(ren) at their designated location as required.”

Does anyone know how I would go about finding out the procedure for opting out of end-of-year standardized testing? I have looked on the website for our state department of education, but it is a mess.

If there wasn’t a pandemic, I would not mind but my children have been home since March 2020 and our household is following stricter stay-at-home procedures due to health issues. Thank you.

[gamma]

Prior to Covid. We had many parents in my town, who oppose standardized testing. There is a big percentage who opt out every year. I would just write a letter stating that due to Covid and that your children are receiving fully remote instruction, they won’t be participating this year. If colleges can go test optional, I don’t see why you would get any push back.

[KpbS]

I’m not sure, but I saw one local parent say she will unenroll her DD and homeschool her in advance of the required testing because she refuses to send her. Our governor is planning on requiring on-site testing for all public school students.

[gamma]

I just heard on on radio station 1010WINS, that NY state has sent a request to the federal government to be exempt from standardized testing in grades 3-8 for this spring.

[PZMommy]

I just heard on on radio station 1010WINS, that NY state has sent a request to the federal government to be exempt from standardized testing in grades 3-8 for this spring.

I know my large district in CA has asked for this too. Not sure if it is state wide, or just my district.

The whole district is 100% virtual here. The current plan is for the state testing to be done at home (if the waiver isn't granted). The interface the testing is on is difficult under the best of circumstances when there are teachers there to help. I have no idea how students/parents would navigate it at home. Not to mention there is no way to provide a secure testing session. I've never opted my kids out but if the district goes through with this crazy testing, I will opt my kids out this year. There is absolutely no need to waste weeks of precious learning time with state testing.

[AnnieW625]

I know my large district in CA has asked for this too. Not sure if it is state wide, or just my district.

The whole district is 100% virtual here. The current plan is for the state testing to be done at home (if the waiver isn't granted). The interface the testing is on is difficult under the best of circumstances when there are teachers there to help. I have no idea how students/parents would navigate it at home. Not to mention there is no way to provide a secure testing session. I've never opted my kids out but if the district goes through with this crazy testing, I will opt my kids out this year. There is absolutely no need to waste weeks of precious learning time with state testing.

DD2 has done STAR testing virtually this year and it has worked out okay. Dd2 just had her second round two weeks ago and she did have some issues logging in on one day but they finally got it taken care of. The classes were split into two groups. The teacher taught on those days from her classroom.


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[PZMommy]

DD2 has done STAR testing virtually this year and it has worked out okay. Dd2 just had her second round two weeks ago and she did have some issues logging in on one day but they finally got it taken care of. The classes were split into two groups. The teacher taught on those days from her classroom.


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I’m referring to the SBAC. It’s a nightmare of a testing system. There are so many security affidavits and special secure browsers that must be used and I don’t even know how they would install them for students to take the tests. They can “push” them out to district devices, but for any student using their own device it would be impossible for the students to get. I’m hoping for the waiver to pass.

[Dayzy]

Where I am you just have to email a letter to the school principal stating "my child will not be taking the state tests." There's something about the wording where you cannot opt out on behalf of your child, but you can deny your child permission to take the tests. My kids are in Catholic school and the school participates in testing, but this year they have decided that things are stressful enough and the school will opt out as a whole.

[IansMom]

Thank you all for the advice. DS is in 6th grade (he doesn’t have a 504) and he attends a separate virtual academy that is a stand-alone school of our county school system. (Our system also offers the distance/e-learning that is attached to individual schools.) If it wasn’t a pandemic, he would go to the testing center to take end of the course exams but students have been allowed to do everything virtually.

All the students in the district were allowed to do STAR virtually/at-home. However, I’ve been told that this test has to be proctored so it must be in-person. He would have to go to a school testing site (ours would be our zoned elementary school) for two complete school days to take the test. Only the test takers and teachers would be in class/at the school during those days and they would be socially distancing and fed lunch. DS has test anxiety under normal circumstances plus I’m just not comfortable with the risk.

I was able to contact an organization that provides wording (state by state) to opt out of standardized testing. I’m in Alabama and I was told to write an email to the principal and Superintendent stating that since there is no legal obligation for my child to take the state assessment my child will be refusing to take the test. I don't have to go into detail or give any reasons.

[frugalmom]

Thank you all for the advice. DS is in 6th grade (he doesn’t have a 504) and he attends a separate virtual academy that is a stand-alone school of our county school system. (Our system also offers the distance/e-learning that is attached to individual schools.) If it wasn’t a pandemic, he would go to the testing center to take end of the course exams but students have been allowed to do everything virtually.

All the students in the district were allowed to do STAR virtually/at-home. However, I’ve been told that this test has to be proctored so it must be in-person. He would have to go to a school testing site (ours would be our zoned elementary school) for two complete school days to take the test. Only the test takers and teachers would be in class/at the school during those days and they would be socially distancing and fed lunch. DS has test anxiety under normal circumstances plus I’m just not comfortable with the risk.

I was able to contact an organization that provides wording (state by state) to opt out of standardized testing. I’m in Alabama and I was told to write an email to the principal and Superintendent stating that since there is no legal obligation for my child to take the state assessment my child will be refusing to take the test. I don't have to go into detail or give any reasons.

Can you tell me what that organization is? I am in Wisconsin and am having the same issue. My children attend a public online school that does in-person testing. We normally do it every year, except last year when they cancelled it. I don't want my kids to do it this year due to the pandemic. We have been home since March 2020 and are being careful and the risk isn't worth it. I was hoping it would get cancelled as I know some school districts in our state are not even back in-person yet.