The Florida School Boards Association, meeting Friday in Vero Beach, had a heated discussion on opting out of standardized testing, coming close to voting on requiring the Legislature to scrapthe practice of using statewide standardized or state-required assessment results for anything other than diagnostic purposes.
It would have meant teacher salaries and school grades would not be subject to test results.
Lee County School Board member Jeanne Dozier represented her district at Fridays meeting, speaking at length about opting out of statewide testing, an issue that has taken Florida's education system by storm in recent weeks and came to a head in her district just before Labor Day.
At the end of August, the Lee County School Board voted 3-2 to become the first district statewide to remove itself from standardized testing. But a few days later, one board member who originally voted in favor of opting out got cold feet after seeing the possible repercussions of the decision and called for an emergency meeting to reverse her vote.
Dozier explained,"There was a lot of energy, momentum and passion. I knew that these people were passionate because of their children ... I applaud those parents for coming forward and passionately advocating for the best interest of their child."
Dozier proposed motions which seemed aimed at placating opponents of statewide testing without requiring entire districts to opt out.
Besides calling for the state to not use statewide standardized or state-required assessment results for anything other than diagnostic purposes, Dozier'smoved to require the state adopt an opt out policy that would allow parents to have their students excused, without penalty, from participating in statewide standardized tests or state-required assessments. The motion was also designed to compel the state to create a well-defined alternative pathway for students to demonstrate progress and proficiencies.
"It is a beginning for us to stand up and show that we are recognizing that this is an issue, said Dozier, who urged the FSBA members to recognize that opting out of standardized tests is an issue that could start to pick up steam across the state.
Its happening out there, she said. We need to be in front of it and not behind it."
After lengthy discussion on the issue, the FSBA ultimately decided to table Dozier's motions until the board of directors' December meeting so the Association's legislative committee could review the specifics of the motion's language and bring it back to the board for a full vote.
FSBA Executive Director Wayne Blanton said the discussion and the motion would open doors for conversation on the issue, which has already been brought up in other districts. But ultimately, Blanton adopted a wait and see attitude on opting out, still uncertain whether the issue would take hold elsewhere.
Its up to you to start the dialogue at your local level, Blanton told members. If it becomes a statewide policy issue, then the Legislature ... will react. As we move along and move with this particular issue, well see whether it has legs or not. ... It either will, or it will not.
The board of directors will meet Dec. 2-5 in Tampa.
