DCPS opt out of PARCC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our principal lets us take our kids out of the school building during testing hours only (our au pair takes them to the local public library during testing ours).

If you really want to opt out, don't be cowed. Ask administrators if they'll work with you, in writing. If they won't, just take the kids out if you can swing the logistics, as you would for a doctor's appointment, and bring them back. The only tool DCPS has to beat up on families who opt out is attendance, so create a paper trail in case you end up dealing with a social work, or even in court. Shoot the classroom teacher and an admin an email each time you take the kid out during PARCC testing hours explaining what you're doing and be sure to save all the emails.

If you believe in what you're doing and have some flexibility in your schedule and family can babysitters on board, you can make opting out work at any DCPCS. Opting out gets trickier at charters.

What is the goal our your belief system in this case? It seems a bit nutty to support public education and then spend your personal and your employees resources to subvert it, with what outcome in mind?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are you not having your child take the test?

NP: Really? There are a bunch of previous threads that debate the reasons in great detail. What difference does it make what this particular poster's reasons are?

But if you want to engage on this, let me ask you a different question: "Why are you having your child take the test?"

There are reasons for the testing, but none have much to do with the children, at least directly.

UMC parents fixated on the specialness of their child and inability to just blend in.

"Blend in" just like little robots.

Not taking an exam that measures certain, albeit by no means end all and be all, skills is hardly differentiating your child as unique.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are you not having your child take the test?

NP: Really? There are a bunch of previous threads that debate the reasons in great detail. What difference does it make what this particular poster's reasons are?

But if you want to engage on this, let me ask you a different question: "Why are you having your child take the test?"

There are reasons for the testing, but none have much to do with the children, at least directly.

UMC parents fixated on the specialness of their child and inability to just blend in.

"Blend in" just like little robots.

Blend in, like members of the community. If you think public school is turning your kids into "little robots" perhaps you should consider homeschooling? Or does your Au Pair not have the credentials for that?

[Anonymous]

As a teacher, I think the PARCC is a waste of time, but I think that opting out is an ineffective way of protesting it. Our school and administration will be penalized if we don't have a certain number of students sit for it. The testing window is about two months long, so the testing coordinator spends the majority of that time running around trying to find kids who were absent on their scheduled days and making them take the test. When that happens, guess who has to give the test? Sped teachers, counselors, or teachers who would normally be on their planning period. Because PARCC trumps everything, kids are pulled from class indiscriminately even if they're in the middle of something important like classroom instruction or a quiz/test. I think a better suggestion is to hold elected officials accountable rather than penalizing the school and teachers who really have no control over it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a teacher, I think the PARCC is a waste of time, but I think that opting out is an ineffective way of protesting it. Our school and administration will be penalized if we don't have a certain number of students sit for it. The testing window is about two months long, so the testing coordinator spends the majority of that time running around trying to find kids who were absent on their scheduled days and making them take the test. When that happens, guess who has to give the test? Sped teachers, counselors, or teachers who would normally be on their planning period. Because PARCC trumps everything, kids are pulled from class indiscriminately even if they're in the middle of something important like classroom instruction or a quiz/test. I think a better suggestion is to hold elected officials accountable rather than penalizing the school and teachers who really have no control over it.

Thanks for this. On another thread we were hotly debating how PARCC testing hours are counting towards IEP services. Making the school's job harder for them means that special ed teacher resources get used up administering the PARCC rather than giving our kids their actual services. I get the objetions to PARCC, but it's something we just need to accept and not make harder for everyone. If you truly disagree with it tell your kid to sit there and write nonsense or whatever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a teacher, I think the PARCC is a waste of time, but I think that opting out is an ineffective way of protesting it. Our school and administration will be penalized if we don't have a certain number of students sit for it. The testing window is about two months long, so the testing coordinator spends the majority of that time running around trying to find kids who were absent on their scheduled days and making them take the test. When that happens, guess who has to give the test? Sped teachers, counselors, or teachers who would normally be on their planning period. Because PARCC trumps everything, kids are pulled from class indiscriminately even if they're in the middle of something important like classroom instruction or a quiz/test. I think a better suggestion is to hold elected officials accountable rather than penalizing the school and teachers who really have no control over it.

Thanks for this. On another thread we were hotly debating how PARCC testing hours are counting towards IEP services. Making the school's job harder for them means that special ed teacher resources get used up administering the PARCC rather than giving our kids their actual services. I get the objetions to PARCC, but it's something we just need to accept and not make harder for everyone. If you truly disagree with it tell your kid to sit there and write nonsense or whatever.

We don’t need to “just accept” what the teacher deems “a waste of time.” My kids take the test, but I want the school to minimize it’s impact on school life. Don’t teach to the test! Don’t have ridiculous “rah rah PARCC” school-wide assemblies! Don’t bring in PARCC cupcakes! Just give the damn tests and that’s it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a teacher, I think the PARCC is a waste of time, but I think that opting out is an ineffective way of protesting it. Our school and administration will be penalized if we don't have a certain number of students sit for it. The testing window is about two months long, so the testing coordinator spends the majority of that time running around trying to find kids who were absent on their scheduled days and making them take the test. When that happens, guess who has to give the test? Sped teachers, counselors, or teachers who would normally be on their planning period. Because PARCC trumps everything, kids are pulled from class indiscriminately even if they're in the middle of something important like classroom instruction or a quiz/test. I think a better suggestion is to hold elected officials accountable rather than penalizing the school and teachers who really have no control over it.

Thanks for this. On another thread we were hotly debating how PARCC testing hours are counting towards IEP services. Making the school's job harder for them means that special ed teacher resources get used up administering the PARCC rather than giving our kids their actual services. I get the objetions to PARCC, but it's something we just need to accept and not make harder for everyone. If you truly disagree with it tell your kid to sit there and write nonsense or whatever.

Let parents make their own decisions instead of trying to shame them into marching to your drummer and supporting your agenda (whether the agenda is don't penalize the school and administration, or don't inconvenience the teachers).

I don't feel like I'm inconveniencing teachers when I take my kid out of PARCC testing sessions to a greater extent than when I take them out of school for a medical appointment, and return them to class afterwards. My children have near perfect attendance, I sit on various parents committees and do a lot of fundraising for the school. Those who opt out are entitled to teach their children what they wish.

You accept what you want to, we'll accept what we want to, cognizant of the fact that civil disobedience comes at some sort of price (be it arm twisting, shaming, a mandatory meeting with a social worker, a court summons, accusations by fellow parents, admins, teachers etc.).

[Anonymous]

Believe it or not, every DCPS principal doesn't give parents who decide to opt out a hard time. Ours, at a JKLM, lets the kids who are being opted out sit in the library during testing blocks, supervised by the librarian. The opt out kids aren't chased down later for make-up tests.

If you put the opt-out test in writing to the principal and lead testing admin well in advance, you may be surprised to find that your head of school will work with you (even if s/he disagrees with you), no questions asked. It's a bit late this year, but if you really want to opt out, just do it.

[Anonymous]

+1. Spare us the preachy crap about PARCC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a teacher, I think the PARCC is a waste of time, but I think that opting out is an ineffective way of protesting it. Our school and administration will be penalized if we don't have a certain number of students sit for it. The testing window is about two months long, so the testing coordinator spends the majority of that time running around trying to find kids who were absent on their scheduled days and making them take the test. When that happens, guess who has to give the test? Sped teachers, counselors, or teachers who would normally be on their planning period. Because PARCC trumps everything, kids are pulled from class indiscriminately even if they're in the middle of something important like classroom instruction or a quiz/test. I think a better suggestion is to hold elected officials accountable rather than penalizing the school and teachers who really have no control over it.

Thanks for this. On another thread we were hotly debating how PARCC testing hours are counting towards IEP services. Making the school's job harder for them means that special ed teacher resources get used up administering the PARCC rather than giving our kids their actual services. I get the objetions to PARCC, but it's something we just need to accept and not make harder for everyone. If you truly disagree with it tell your kid to sit there and write nonsense or whatever.

Let parents make their own decisions instead of trying to shame them into marching to your drummer and supporting your agenda (whether the agenda is don't penalize the school and administration, or don't inconvenience the teachers).

I don't feel like I'm inconveniencing teachers when I take my kid out of PARCC testing sessions to a greater extent than when I take them out of school for a medical appointment, and return them to class afterwards. My children have near perfect attendance, I sit on various parents committees and do a lot of fundraising for the school. Those who opt out are entitled to teach their children what they wish.

You accept what you want to, we'll accept what we want to, cognizant of the fact that civil disobedience comes at some sort of price (be it arm twisting, shaming, a mandatory meeting with a social worker, a court summons, accusations by fellow parents, admins, teachers etc.).

OK. enjoy your 10 days of unexcused absences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a teacher, I think the PARCC is a waste of time, but I think that opting out is an ineffective way of protesting it. Our school and administration will be penalized if we don't have a certain number of students sit for it. The testing window is about two months long, so the testing coordinator spends the majority of that time running around trying to find kids who were absent on their scheduled days and making them take the test. When that happens, guess who has to give the test? Sped teachers, counselors, or teachers who would normally be on their planning period. Because PARCC trumps everything, kids are pulled from class indiscriminately even if they're in the middle of something important like classroom instruction or a quiz/test. I think a better suggestion is to hold elected officials accountable rather than penalizing the school and teachers who really have no control over it.

Thanks for this. On another thread we were hotly debating how PARCC testing hours are counting towards IEP services. Making the school's job harder for them means that special ed teacher resources get used up administering the PARCC rather than giving our kids their actual services. I get the objetions to PARCC, but it's something we just need to accept and not make harder for everyone. If you truly disagree with it tell your kid to sit there and write nonsense or whatever.

Let parents make their own decisions instead of trying to shame them into marching to your drummer and supporting your agenda (whether the agenda is don't penalize the school and administration, or don't inconvenience the teachers).

I don't feel like I'm inconveniencing teachers when I take my kid out of PARCC testing sessions to a greater extent than when I take them out of school for a medical appointment, and return them to class afterwards. My children have near perfect attendance, I sit on various parents committees and do a lot of fundraising for the school. Those who opt out are entitled to teach their children what they wish.

You accept what you want to, we'll accept what we want to, cognizant of the fact that civil disobedience comes at some sort of price (be it arm twisting, shaming, a mandatory meeting with a social worker, a court summons, accusations by fellow parents, admins, teachers etc.).

The teacher you quote above also points out how opting out of the test on testing days actually does affect others in the school. Do you discount this experience? Your actions affect others in the school. You are free to carry on but you can’t pretend you are acting in a vacuum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a teacher, I think the PARCC is a waste of time, but I think that opting out is an ineffective way of protesting it. Our school and administration will be penalized if we don't have a certain number of students sit for it. The testing window is about two months long, so the testing coordinator spends the majority of that time running around trying to find kids who were absent on their scheduled days and making them take the test. When that happens, guess who has to give the test? Sped teachers, counselors, or teachers who would normally be on their planning period. Because PARCC trumps everything, kids are pulled from class indiscriminately even if they're in the middle of something important like classroom instruction or a quiz/test. I think a better suggestion is to hold elected officials accountable rather than penalizing the school and teachers who really have no control over it.

Thanks for this. On another thread we were hotly debating how PARCC testing hours are counting towards IEP services. Making the school's job harder for them means that special ed teacher resources get used up administering the PARCC rather than giving our kids their actual services. I get the objetions to PARCC, but it's something we just need to accept and not make harder for everyone. If you truly disagree with it tell your kid to sit there and write nonsense or whatever.

Let parents make their own decisions instead of trying to shame them into marching to your drummer and supporting your agenda (whether the agenda is don't penalize the school and administration, or don't inconvenience the teachers).

I don't feel like I'm inconveniencing teachers when I take my kid out of PARCC testing sessions to a greater extent than when I take them out of school for a medical appointment, and return them to class afterwards. My children have near perfect attendance, I sit on various parents committees and do a lot of fundraising for the school. Those who opt out are entitled to teach their children what they wish.

You accept what you want to, we'll accept what we want to, cognizant of the fact that civil disobedience comes at some sort of price (be it arm twisting, shaming, a mandatory meeting with a social worker, a court summons, accusations by fellow parents, admins, teachers etc.).

The teacher you quote above also points out how opting out of the test on testing days actually does affect others in the school. Do you discount this experience? Your actions affect others in the school. You are free to carry on but you can’t pretend you are acting in a vacuum.

I feel like those that pull kids out of PARCC are the same type of families that redshirt--both don't want their kids to compete with others on their level, and have little regard for the consequences of their actions for the rest of the class/school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Believe it or not, every DCPS principal doesn't give parents who decide to opt out a hard time. Ours, at a JKLM, lets the kids who are being opted out sit in the library during testing blocks, supervised by the librarian. The opt out kids aren't chased down later for make-up tests.

If you put the opt-out test in writing to the principal and lead testing admin well in advance, you may be surprised to find that your head of school will work with you (even if s/he disagrees with you), no questions asked. It's a bit late this year, but if you really want to opt out, just do it.

Same here. Don't get all fired up before you ask.

[Anonymous]

And then you judge schools based on PARCC scores and say they don't have a cohort of children on your kid's level. Maybe they do and those kids just opted out of testing?

[Anonymous]

This year's 5th grade parents should be more pissed than anyone. Each year that PARCC has been in place this cohort has been forced to take an additional section, which does not even count towards their scores. This is in additional to 4th grade NAEP testing last year.

OSSE is administering to this control group to allow the vendor evaluate the test questions for consistency and effectiveness in evaluating core competencies. PARCC is a huge time suck as is, but this additional layer for 5th grade is really irritating. It would bother me less if they could ensure enough machines at each and every school in order to permit a shorter testing window rather than one that spreads out over weeks. I'm thankful that our ES only "preps" in briefly reviewing the online application functionality so the kids don't get hung up on the site usability.