New York's Opt Out Movement Revs Back Up

Parents gathered in Long Beach, Long Island on Sunday.

With state tests for New York's third through eighth grade students set to begin April 5, parent organizers of the state's "opt out" movement are wondering if they can repeat last year's boycott, when about 20 percent of students statewide sat out the tests

“I think it’s still going to be very large," said Jeanette Deutermann, a founder of Long Island Opt Out. "As far as numbers, we never know until the first day. All we do is try to spread awareness and it plays out how it plays out."

She added, "The key is to disrupt the system."

One might think the system has been disrupted, at least somewhat. A task force created by Governor Andrew Cuomo recommended changes to the Common Core learning standards and the tests associated with them. The panel said the tests should be shorter, and suggested a moratorium on using test scores to evaluate teachers. 

State education officials responded. They shortened the tests for all grades in both math and English, though only slightly so (some parents say the change is negligible). Students this year will be allowed as much time as they need to finish the tests. And, according to the state education department, teachers have played a more active role in reviewing test questions.

The state will also undertake revisions to the Common Core learning standards, after the governor's task force questioned whether the standards were appropriate for younger children or students with special learning needs.

But making small revisions and acknowledging flaws did not appease Deutermann and other parents gathered for a rally in Long Beach, Long Island on Sunday. 

"The tests are still built on standards that everyone is saying, ‘Freeze. We have to fix them,'" said Leslie Rose, a parent of a fifth-grader and sixth-grader in Rockville Centre. "So then why are you still giving a test on them? Why are you still subjecting my child to that?"

The rally was organized by State Assemblyman Todd Kaminsky, who introduced a package of legislation aimed at reducing the importance placed on state tests. One of the bills calls for immediately decoupling student test scores from teacher evaluations.

Kaminsky, who is running for state senate to replace Dean Skelos, said the state education department's move to put a hold on the use of test scores was not enough.

"We all need to be concerned that a moratorium and law are not the same thing," he said.

The rally and introduction of Kaminsky's legislation comes as the Board of Regents prepares to elect a new chancellor of the board to replace Merryl Tisch. 

Tisch helped lead the implementation of the Common Core, new state tests and new teacher evaluations.

In yet another sign of change, Tisch will likely be replaced by Betty Rosa, a member of the Regents who has spoken out against over-testing and questioned the use of student scores in evaluating teachers.