The "Opt Out" movement is civil disobedience against the gathering of all of this data by for-profit companies that doesn't help
students learn." by Cindy Hamilton, Orlando, FL
Financial gains for companies like CBT/McGraw-Hill, Harcourt, and Pearson,
have grown from$263 million worth of sales in 1997 to over $2 billion.
As of April 13, 2016, there is not a single state, school or district anywhere in the United States that the federal government has penalized for failing to test a quota of its students. To the contrary, eight states — California, Colorado, Minnesota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin — have laws specifically allowing parents to opt their children out.
At the end of the day, it’s a parent’s decision to test or not to test, and vague statements (or direct threats) about penalties and sanctions are only used to place fear in the hearts of parents who are choosing the well-being of their child over the well-being of the school system and test publishers.
Parents, don’t be fooled. Many threats about penalties for opting out have come directly from school district administrators, who have a lot to lose by students opting out. In some cases, parents have been told by administrators that they will face tribunals, be sent to court, or be referred to state child welfare offices for keeping their children at home during testing periods. In the school environment, children have been left out of class parties and been humiliated in front of their classmates.
At the end of the day, it’s a parent’s decision to test or not to test, and vague statements (or direct threats) about penalties and sanctions are only used to place fear in the hearts of parents who are choosing the well-being of their child over the well-being of the school system and test publishers.
Parents, don’t be fooled. Many threats about penalties for opting out have come directly from school district administrators, who have a lot to lose by students opting out. In some cases, parents have been told by administrators that they will face tribunals, be sent to court, or be referred to state child welfare offices for keeping their children at home during testing periods. In the school environment, children have been left out of class parties and been humiliated in front of their classmates.
Why Is The Information Being Given To Parents Is Phoney!