Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Why Teachers Should Support the Opt Out Movement


When a student “opts out” of a standardized test, the student actually participates in it.  He’s not breaking the law, he’s following the statute that mandates participation in the statewide assessment program.  She’s not skipping it, she’s simply refusing to offer data.  It’s an act of civil disobedience that makes a statement saying education policy is broken.  What we are doing to students, teachers, and schools is wrong.  I am more than a test score.

The Opt Out movement is causing a bit of a ruckus, and I love it.  I believe all teachers should love it.  I have made previous claims of a teacher’s authority to assess student knowledge (here, here, here, and here), and I believe it is our professional duty to refine and redefine how we do it.  Current education policies strip away our authority to assess student knowledge and we have yielded that authority without issue.  We need to have an issue.  A serious issue.  The Opt Out movement helps.

When a student “opts out” of standardized assessment, the student is giving the teacher the assessment authority.  The student is saying “you don’t need this test to see what I know”, “my teacher knows what I know”, “my class performance will tell you what I know”, and “you should trust my teacher, because I do.”

Those who disagree with the movement say the most insulting things about us, and we need to begin to see it this way.  A member of our district’s school board was quoted in a local newspiece saying "As a parent you want to know your child is learning while they are in school."  We hear the same question over and over:  “How will we know how our child is doing?”  “How will we know how our child compares?”  As teachers, we should feel highly insulted by these questions.  This is a slap to our face and we don’t even know it.  This is our job!  This is our profession!  This is our livelihood.  We are the ones who can tell you how your child is doing.  We are the ones who can tell you how your child “compares” (not sure why that is important anyway, see the above video clip).  We are the ones who can tell you what your child knows, what your child struggles with, what your child needs, and where your child excels.  Our job is to know these things about students.  If my colleagues need standardized tests and data to tell them these things, they are not good at their job.  If one of my colleagues is relying mostly on data spreadsheets and numbers to tell him about his students, he is not suited to be in the classroom and he should find a new job.  He’s making me look bad.  I take pride in my work, and so should my colleagues.

I understand why a teacher would not support the Opt Out movement.  Some of my colleagues simply do what they are told.  Some of my colleagues are non-confrontational.  Some of my colleagues are used to the way things are.  Some of my colleagues are concerned about employment contracts and pay.  We have a test-based accountability system.  We have VAM scores that impact our evaluation.  We spend almost every “Professional Development” workshop on high stakes testing administration and management.  Most of our faculty meetings concern tests, test data, or testing schedules.  Our professional environment is centered on test scores.  Some of us even judge ourselves based on our student test scores (I used to...USED TO).  I understand why a teacher would have difficulty detaching herself from this environment to focus on our professional authority.  I understand why a teacher would view his students the way the school views them: by a score.  I do not fault my colleagues (as long as they are professionals). 

I do, however, implore them to take a step back.  I want my colleagues to ask themselves if this is currently the profession they dreamed of, or if the trajectory of the profession is in line with their aspirations of being a teacher.  Are we doing right by students?  Are the education policies we are forced to implement the best for our students’ futures?  I ask my colleagues if they are pleased with high stakes testing and test-based accountability.  I ask my colleagues if they would like to see a change.  I ask my colleagues if they have courage.  I ask my colleagues if they are willing to do what is right for the future.  I ask my colleagues if they are willing to fight for a worthy cause: to return education to a process of learning and discovery. 


I tell my colleagues:  we have an opportunity to change the policies.  We have an opportunity to restore authority to our profession.  We must support and encourage students and families to participate in the Opt Out movement.

12 comments:

  1. Your ability to articulate the "right" of a student to not take state tests is a wonderful thing. I have begun to wonder if the only way we might stop our country's enslavement to the test makers and test-score reformers will be to have this very concept taken all the way up to the Supreme Court. What exactly are an individual's rights when it comes to being FORCED to participation in -- anything?

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's crazy to me that students have to opt out. They have to have permission bslips to go on a field trip, even to walk to the park across the street! Parents should have to give permission for their students to give data to the test makers, to subject themselves to potential stress and abuse by the testing conditions, to submit to testing when they were guaranteed 180 days of INSTRUCTION. Seriously, WHT? Our assumption should be that no one would allow their student to be tested, and they should have to OPT IN, at their own risk, signing that they understand the potential damage and consequences of their actions.

    ReplyDelete
  3. If you want to learn the true skill of blog writing, give this blog a read.
    essaywriters™

    ReplyDelete
  4. The down to earth approach of the essayist in this blog is commendable.online-assignment

    ReplyDelete
  5. Informative and interesting. Hi Great website thanks for all the great infomation on your website it is very informative keep up the great work. Dumpscollection

    ReplyDelete
  6. Prepare for Huawei H31-321 exam with our preparation material with full confidence. We offer you 100% real Huawei Certified Network Professional Transmission MSTP Transmission Huawei H31-321 exam dumps for your better results. Prepare4Test’s H31-321 pdf dumps are verified by Huawei Gurus.

    ReplyDelete
  7. 100% Pass Guarantee is offered by us after Nutanix Certified Master – Multicloud Infrastructure (NCM-MCI) 5.15 Exam NCM-MCI5.15 exam preparation, with Prepare4Test’s exam dumps. You can pass the NCM-MCI5.15 exam in the first go with good marks, and it will be easy for you to attempt all NCM-MCI5.15 questions.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Casino site in Asia 2021 and play online casino games
    Casino site in Asia 2021 and play online luckyclub casino games. Live casino. Sign up and start winning today! Live casinos and casino. Rating: 4 · ‎16 votes

    ReplyDelete
  9. After shaking hands with the Cosmetic Packaging, you will not be happy to see the revenue but your product will become alluring and charming too because not only the customization characteristics but all the remarkable offers help the traders not only to save the packaging cost but shipping cost too.

    ReplyDelete
  10. When travelling to Boston, Logan Airport Limo Service offers a reliable and stress-free way to get to and from Logan International Airport. Our team of experienced and professional drivers ensure that you arrive at your destination safely and on time. Our fleet of luxury vehicles includes town cars, SUVs, and vans so that we can accommodate any size group. Our vehicles are equipped with the latest amenities, such as climate control, wi-fi, and comfortable seating.
    Limo Service Near Me
    Logan Airport Terminal b pickup

    ReplyDelete