Opting out of 2017 PARCC - Who has Experiencing with Opting Out? How did it work?

[Anonymous]

If the WaPo and NY Times can be believed, roughly 700,000 public school students didn't take state-mandated standardized tests around the country in 2016 (more than double than in 2015) because their parents opted them out. Undoubtedly, all the parents involved were crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the WaPo and NY Times can be believed, roughly 700,000 public school students didn't take state-mandated standardized tests around the country in 2016 (more than double than in 2015) because their parents opted them out. Undoubtedly, all the parents involved were crazy.

Typical narrative of the corporate reforms. If you don't agree with them, you are crazy if you express concerns.

Resist the Trump-Rhee education agenda.

[Anonymous]

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only parents I've known who have opted their kids out of the PARCC at our JKLM school are bat shit crazy and a PITA.
It's pretty much a given.

The only parents I've known who have supported the PARCC have been woefully ignorant about the privatization of public education. It's pretty much a given.

[Anonymous]

OP signing off. Thanks, everybody who commented respectfully, regardless of where you stand on the issues.

In conclusion, on a practical note, I suggest that anybody who's considering opting out first checks with their school's registrar, to learn where your student stands on the unexcused absences front this school year. It looks like the best tool DCPS has to compel compliance with PARCC testing is their super strict attendance rules (more than 5 unexcused absences prompts intervention; more than 10 can land a parent in court on a charge of criminal child neglect). Knowing where you stand with unexcused absences will help you craft an opt out strategy.

We plan to bring our girl to school on time each testing day, to be marked present, then to quietly pull her out, before testing starts. If the school lets us, we'll return her to her classroom after daily testing sessions have concluded (we live near the school). We plan to write our (by the book) principal a series of notarized notes explaining our opt out activities, in case we need the documentation in court. We don't plan to ask him to permission to opt out, or to tell him that we want to opt out, or to explain our reasons. We're simply going to write him a polite note stating that we're opting out, and how. We know that classroom teachers usually tell parents when testing sessions will take place. Just in case, the kid will be given a cell phone to use to text us if she's told to sit at a computer to take a test at a random time, or to take a make-up test.

So far, asking OSSE and the DCPS Teaching and Learning staff about opt out policies, procedures and penalties has got us nowhere. Every DC public official we've communicated with has given us different answers. Wilson parents who sought permission to opt out last year we've spoken to reported having similar experiences - some got emails from OSSE or DCPS last spring stating that their teens were excused from PARCC testing, some got no reply, and others received threatening emails. Eventually, the Chancellor got involved, clarifying that DCPS does not grant permission to opt out under any circumstances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP signing off. Thanks, everybody who commented respectfully, regardless of where you stand on the issues.

In conclusion, on a practical note, I suggest that anybody who's considering opting out first checks with their school's registrar, to learn where your student stands on the unexcused absences front this school year. It looks like the best tool DCPS has to compel compliance with PARCC testing is their super strict attendance rules (more than 5 unexcused absences prompts intervention; more than 10 can land a parent in court on a charge of criminal child neglect). Knowing where you stand with unexcused absences will help you craft an opt out strategy.

We plan to bring our girl to school on time each testing day, to be marked present, then to quietly pull her out, before testing starts. If the school lets us, we'll return her to her classroom after daily testing sessions have concluded (we live near the school). We plan to write our (by the book) principal a series of notarized notes explaining our opt out activities, in case we need the documentation in court. We don't plan to ask him to permission to opt out, or to tell him that we want to opt out, or to explain our reasons. We're simply going to write him a polite note stating that we're opting out, and how. We know that classroom teachers usually tell parents when testing sessions will take place. Just in case, the kid will be given a cell phone to use to text us if she's told to sit at a computer to take a test at a random time, or to take a make-up test.

So far, asking OSSE and the DCPS Teaching and Learning staff about opt out policies, procedures and penalties has got us nowhere. Every DC public official we've communicated with has given us different answers. Wilson parents who sought permission to opt out last year we've spoken to reported having similar experiences - some got emails from OSSE or DCPS last spring stating that their teens were excused from PARCC testing, some got no reply, and others received threatening emails. Eventually, the Chancellor got involved, clarifying that DCPS does not grant permission to opt out under any circumstances.

omg you are freakin' insufferable. just keep your kid home for the week instead of hovering in the classroom and "quietly pulling her out" when the test starts! how rude and disruptive, and embarrassing for your child. And why do you think they are going to let you hover in the classroom on a testing day anyway? it's your choice to make your stand to opt out -- so keep your child home and accept the consequences of unexcused absences.

[Anonymous]

Can't wait to see which elementary school would allow your child to have a CELL PHONE in class and allow them to use it to text you.

Please. Keep the child home. Accept the consequences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can't wait to see which elementary school would allow your child to have a CELL PHONE in class and allow them to use it to text you.

Please. Keep the child home. Accept the consequences.

You can also tell your child it's okay to give all wrong answers.

Nothing wrong with peaceful resistance when dealing with an authoritarian system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can't wait to see which elementary school would allow your child to have a CELL PHONE in class and allow them to use it to text you.

Please. Keep the child home. Accept the consequences.

You can also tell your child it's okay to give all wrong answers.

Nothing wrong with peaceful resistance when dealing with an authoritarian system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can't wait to see which elementary school would allow your child to have a CELL PHONE in class and allow them to use it to text you.

Please. Keep the child home. Accept the consequences.

Not only that but cell phones are explicitly prohibited in testing classrooms, even by teachers!

[Anonymous]

I was told that I might have to pay back money if I opted out and my childs school did over a period of two weeks. Opting out then didn't become an option. My child's school was weak in academics and I did not think that it was fair to test her based on that. Other than that I am fine with my kids getting tested, but not over a period of two weeks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP signing off. Thanks, everybody who commented respectfully, regardless of where you stand on the issues.

In conclusion, on a practical note, I suggest that anybody who's considering opting out first checks with their school's registrar, to learn where your student stands on the unexcused absences front this school year. It looks like the best tool DCPS has to compel compliance with PARCC testing is their super strict attendance rules (more than 5 unexcused absences prompts intervention; more than 10 can land a parent in court on a charge of criminal child neglect). Knowing where you stand with unexcused absences will help you craft an opt out strategy.

We plan to bring our girl to school on time each testing day, to be marked present, then to quietly pull her out, before testing starts. If the school lets us, we'll return her to her classroom after daily testing sessions have concluded (we live near the school). We plan to write our (by the book) principal a series of notarized notes explaining our opt out activities, in case we need the documentation in court. We don't plan to ask him to permission to opt out, or to tell him that we want to opt out, or to explain our reasons. We're simply going to write him a polite note stating that we're opting out, and how. We know that classroom teachers usually tell parents when testing sessions will take place. Just in case, the kid will be given a cell phone to use to text us if she's told to sit at a computer to take a test at a random time, or to take a make-up test.

So far, asking OSSE and the DCPS Teaching and Learning staff about opt out policies, procedures and penalties has got us nowhere. Every DC public official we've communicated with has given us different answers. Wilson parents who sought permission to opt out last year we've spoken to reported having similar experiences - some got emails from OSSE or DCPS last spring stating that their teens were excused from PARCC testing, some got no reply, and others received threatening emails. Eventually, the Chancellor got involved, clarifying that DCPS does not grant permission to opt out under any circumstances.

omg you are freakin' insufferable. just keep your kid home for the week instead of hovering in the classroom and "quietly pulling her out" when the test starts! how rude and disruptive, and embarrassing for your child. And why do you think they are going to let you hover in the classroom on a testing day anyway? it's your choice to make your stand to opt out -- so keep your child home and accept the consequences of unexcused absences.

Wait a minute, every DCPS parent who pulls their kid out of class for a medical appointment and brings them back afterwards is rude and insufferable?! My child has a chronic medical condition. We pull him out regularly to visit doctors. I don't see why OP's kid needs to miss more school than necessary to opt out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP signing off. Thanks, everybody who commented respectfully, regardless of where you stand on the issues.

In conclusion, on a practical note, I suggest that anybody who's considering opting out first checks with their school's registrar, to learn where your student stands on the unexcused absences front this school year. It looks like the best tool DCPS has to compel compliance with PARCC testing is their super strict attendance rules (more than 5 unexcused absences prompts intervention; more than 10 can land a parent in court on a charge of criminal child neglect). Knowing where you stand with unexcused absences will help you craft an opt out strategy.

We plan to bring our girl to school on time each testing day, to be marked present, then to quietly pull her out, before testing starts. If the school lets us, we'll return her to her classroom after daily testing sessions have concluded (we live near the school). We plan to write our (by the book) principal a series of notarized notes explaining our opt out activities, in case we need the documentation in court. We don't plan to ask him to permission to opt out, or to tell him that we want to opt out, or to explain our reasons. We're simply going to write him a polite note stating that we're opting out, and how. We know that classroom teachers usually tell parents when testing sessions will take place. Just in case, the kid will be given a cell phone to use to text us if she's told to sit at a computer to take a test at a random time, or to take a make-up test.

So far, asking OSSE and the DCPS Teaching and Learning staff about opt out policies, procedures and penalties has got us nowhere. Every DC public official we've communicated with has given us different answers. Wilson parents who sought permission to opt out last year we've spoken to reported having similar experiences - some got emails from OSSE or DCPS last spring stating that their teens were excused from PARCC testing, some got no reply, and others received threatening emails. Eventually, the Chancellor got involved, clarifying that DCPS does not grant permission to opt out under any circumstances.

omg you are freakin' insufferable. just keep your kid home for the week instead of hovering in the classroom and "quietly pulling her out" when the test starts! how rude and disruptive, and embarrassing for your child. And why do you think they are going to let you hover in the classroom on a testing day anyway? it's your choice to make your stand to opt out -- so keep your child home and accept the consequences of unexcused absences.

Wait a minute, every DCPS parent who pulls their kid out of class for a medical appointment and brings them back afterwards is rude and insufferable?! My child has a chronic medical condition. We pull him out regularly to visit doctors. I don't see why OP's kid needs to miss more school than necessary to opt out.

you really can't see the difference? I assume you don't disrupt the class to pull out your child. And medical appointments are excused absences.

[Anonymous]

It doesn't sound like OP's talking about disturbing a class. You sign in at the elementary school's front desk, go to the child's classroom door, quietly beckon for him or her to come out, escort the child out of the building and return them to their class an hour or two later. I do this all the time for medical appointments and have never had an issue. In a free country, opting out of the standardized tests should be an excused absence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP signing off. Thanks, everybody who commented respectfully, regardless of where you stand on the issues.

In conclusion, on a practical note, I suggest that anybody who's considering opting out first checks with their school's registrar, to learn where your student stands on the unexcused absences front this school year. It looks like the best tool DCPS has to compel compliance with PARCC testing is their super strict attendance rules (more than 5 unexcused absences prompts intervention; more than 10 can land a parent in court on a charge of criminal child neglect). Knowing where you stand with unexcused absences will help you craft an opt out strategy.

We plan to bring our girl to school on time each testing day, to be marked present, then to quietly pull her out, before testing starts. If the school lets us, we'll return her to her classroom after daily testing sessions have concluded (we live near the school). We plan to write our (by the book) principal a series of notarized notes explaining our opt out activities, in case we need the documentation in court. We don't plan to ask him to permission to opt out, or to tell him that we want to opt out, or to explain our reasons. We're simply going to write him a polite note stating that we're opting out, and how. We know that classroom teachers usually tell parents when testing sessions will take place. Just in case, the kid will be given a cell phone to use to text us if she's told to sit at a computer to take a test at a random time, or to take a make-up test.

So far, asking OSSE and the DCPS Teaching and Learning staff about opt out policies, procedures and penalties has got us nowhere. Every DC public official we've communicated with has given us different answers. Wilson parents who sought permission to opt out last year we've spoken to reported having similar experiences - some got emails from OSSE or DCPS last spring stating that their teens were excused from PARCC testing, some got no reply, and others received threatening emails. Eventually, the Chancellor got involved, clarifying that DCPS does not grant permission to opt out under any circumstances.

omg you are freakin' insufferable. just keep your kid home for the week instead of hovering in the classroom and "quietly pulling her out" when the test starts! how rude and disruptive, and embarrassing for your child. And why do you think they are going to let you hover in the classroom on a testing day anyway? it's your choice to make your stand to opt out -- so keep your child home and accept the consequences of unexcused absences.

Op's lack of self awareness of how obnoxious she is is beyond belief. I'm sure the school is already well aware she is "that" mom. I feel sorry for her child.