As standardized testing -- and its opposition -- have become the norm in Florida, more and more parents have fought back against testing, choosing to opt their students out of taking high-stakes assessment tests.
One group -- the largest teacher’s union in the state -- has issued a warning to teachers on encouraging students or parents to pull their students out of standardized testing in the Sunshine State.
The Florida Education Association, which represents over 135,000 teachers, posted a “cautionary note” on its website directing visitors to information on opting out of standardized testing.
The notice, which headlines the front page of the FEA’s website, reads:
“FEA has previously cautioned its members about using their classroom time, positions or school district resources or equipment to encourage students or parents to “opt out” of high-stakes testing. The cautionary note has been sounded to minimize the likelihood that education professionals will be subjected to discipline for taking such actions while performing their jobs. While educators retain their right to free speech, school districts also have the right to assure that employees do not utilize their classrooms and official positions for such advocacy or conduct activities in a manner which impairs efficiency and integrity in the discharge of official duties. The exercise of protected speech is not without bounds.”
The FEA goes on to say its main concern for its members should “not be construed as FEA opposition” to the opt out movement, which has swept the state among concerned parents and educators who believe standardized testing has gone too far.
The note tells teachers that anyone wanting more information about opting students out of high-stakes testing should be careful not to use school district services or equipment.
The FEA then provides links to a 24-page opt out guide written by the Opt Out Florida Network as well as a Facebook group for a special Opt Out group for third grade and a direct link to the Opt Out Florida Network’s website to find local opt out groups across the state.
The opt out guide is the most comprehensive link of the three. In the "manual," opting out is deemed an “act of civil disobedience in protest of all that is wrong with public education.”
The document gives parents a step-by-step guide to opting their students out of standardized testing. It details the ins and outs of specific testing practices and includes instructions for students on how they can opt out of standardized testing. For paper tests, the guide instructs students to “break the seal” of the Florida Standards Assessment testing packet and tells students to slide it away.
For computer-based tests, the instructions tell students to end the online test before answering any questions.
Standardized testing is one of the key components of Florida’s education system and is mandated by Florida law. At least 95 percent of Florida students have to take the state’s standardized test in order for a school to receive an individual letter grade, but the state technically doesn’t keep track of opt outs.
Instead, the state simply marks tests as “NR2,” which means a test was incomplete -- only one reason for its incompletion being opting out entirely.
Opting out of those tests gained steam after the FSA’s rocky rollout in 2015, and many parents and some educators quickly jumped onboard with the idea. Grades for this year’s test aren’t due out until after the springtime, however, so it’s uncertain exactly how many students have opted out of the FSA in 2016.
Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.
