Thanks to the advocacy of hundreds of NYSUT members who sent personalized letters to the State Education Department this summer, SED and the Board of Regents have backed down on proposed ESSA regulations that would have unfairly punished school districts where large numbers of students and families opt out of state testing.
When the draft regulations were proposed, we informed our members about the comment period and they responded with hundreds of letters. Because you and so many other members raised your voices, Chancellor Rosa and the Regents today adopted policies to defend parents’ right to opt their children out of flawed standardized tests without penalty or pressure. Specifically, the Regents;
Ensured the commissioner would not be able to order school districts with low test participation rates to redirect Title I funds away from the classroom.
Improved regulations to make it easier for school districts to exit state accountability lists if students are otherwise meeting academic performance targets but still have low test participation rates.
Prevented the commissioner from designating schools with low test participation rates as SURR schools. While much more work remains, this is a major victory on behalf of our members.
