State should opt out of PARCC testing

Parents of school aged children have probably heard of the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers test, more commonly referred to as the PARCC, a standardized test based on the Common Core state standards.

As a parent of school age children I researched PARCC and what I learned was very disturbing. This is why I supported a delay on PARCC testing and it is now why I support opt-out legislation, HB0306.

It would codify existing law. Currently, students have a right to refuse state standardized tests.

However, when parents request test refusal on behalf of their children, they are oftentimes met with misinformation, and sometimes threats from districts. HB0306 would require only a written notice from parents and schools would not be negatively affected.

Several states already have opt-out laws, including California, Wisconsin, Utah, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Nebraska, and none of these states have been sanctioned by the federal government.

Of the original 26 states that were in the PARCC consortium, only 10 remain. Why have so many states abandoned PARCC?

PARCC fulfills none of the requirements of validity, reliability or cost effectiveness as required by the Illinois School Code. In addition, PARCC is developmentally inappropriate, does not inform teacher instruction, is technologically flawed, and is a serious threat to instructional time.

As more people learn the truth about PARCC and take action, the Illinois State Board of Education should challenge the U.S. Department of Education and support Illinois' public schoolchildren.

Contact your state representative to voice support for HB0306 and join other concerned citizens at the Park the PARCC Facebook page.

Cedra Crenshaw

Wheaton