1. Dear Teacher, Johnny is Skipping the Test Carlie Stigler

2. Main Points  NY field tests  Boycott field tests  Parent activist groups against emphasis on high-stakes testing  Ruins students school experience  Determines too much  Against profit Pearson is making  Goal join forces with struggling schools  Sitting out of real exams creates problems

3. http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=ABFu9qoiMRM http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=ABFu9qoiMRM Diana Zavala's son during a protest in Washington this year that marched on the White House.

4. Discussion Questions

5. Final Thoughts… Beth Bonita Springs, Florida  As a mother and former principal and teacher, I have been waiting for the parents to take the leadership and protest. Thank you to all those groups. We need one test for the country, that is diagnostic not evaluative. What doesn't Johnny know? Then teachers will get the information they need to fix problems on an individual level not for comparison to other children. If all the children have the same problems, then we can look at the curriculum, not the teachers. One test would be cheaper - the cost of fifty states developing tests is ridiculous especially now that 47 states have adopted the core curriculum. We could also use these tests to indicate whether the core curriculum is appropriate at any given level. Current expectations in many states do not take into consideration child development. For example, boys' small muscle development lags behind girls. (Average age for girls is five and for boys seven) Expecting kindergarteners to write on lined paper is unfair to boys and many girls, since five is the average age for girls. Let's get sensible and save some money!!!

6. Bibliography  Sangha, S. (2012, October 12). Dear, teacher johnny is skipping the test. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/201 2/10/14/education/dear- http://www.nytimes.com/201 2/10/14/education/dear- http://www.nytimes.com/201 2/10/14/education/dear-  Wagner, K. (2012, September). The state education department / the university of the state of new york / albany, ny 12234. Retrieved from http://www.p12.nysed.gov/a ssessment/ei/2013/nystp-ft- 13.pdf http://www.p12.nysed.gov/a ssessment/ei/2013/nystp-ft- 13.pdf http://www.p12.nysed.gov/a ssessment/ei/2013/nystp-ft- 13.pdf