In New Hanover County, there are several tests and assessments administered to our students mandated by the North Carolina state legislature. We are not encouraging anyone to opt of tests that are delivered for any useful education purpose. We only suggest opting out of tests that are used only to compare your child to other children and rate teachers and schools. We have determined that these tests serve no benefits but do result in substantial harm to some children and to public education. There are many reasons we suggest opting out of the high stakes tests. Here are a few of the main reasons:
Please read the tabs above for more information about specific tests in New Hanover and a sample opt out letter. Links to additional information is available under Resources. We have a case study of one parent who opted out in New Hanover County. Opting out is actually not an option in NC. But you do have the right of refusal. Be aware that the state has given a score of 1 to the one person who did refuse to take last year and they have said they would do it again. In most grades a scores of 1 does not hurt you child but in some areas it may. Please check the "New Hanover Assessments" tab above.
Goal: If the number of tests goes below 95% the scores are invalid to use for teachers and schools. The school personnel by law are not allowed to encourage opting out of tests even if they agree with us that the tests are harmful.
Note: By opting your children out of tests you are going against the recommendations of the schools but you are letting the state know that you do not want to continue to allow them to harm our children and schools.
Last update: March 2014
- Time consuming
- Costly
- Frustrating to students
- Takes away from instructional time
- Narrows the curriculum to force teachers to “teach to the test”
- Invalid way to measure teacher effectiveness
- Invalid way to measure school effectiveness
- Contrived evidence to prove that schools are failing
- Biased against students from other cultures, special needs, gifted and English Language Learners.
Please read the tabs above for more information about specific tests in New Hanover and a sample opt out letter. Links to additional information is available under Resources. We have a case study of one parent who opted out in New Hanover County. Opting out is actually not an option in NC. But you do have the right of refusal. Be aware that the state has given a score of 1 to the one person who did refuse to take last year and they have said they would do it again. In most grades a scores of 1 does not hurt you child but in some areas it may. Please check the "New Hanover Assessments" tab above.
Goal: If the number of tests goes below 95% the scores are invalid to use for teachers and schools. The school personnel by law are not allowed to encourage opting out of tests even if they agree with us that the tests are harmful.
Note: By opting your children out of tests you are going against the recommendations of the schools but you are letting the state know that you do not want to continue to allow them to harm our children and schools.
Last update: March 2014