NYS ALLIES FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Allies
  • Contact Us
  • Events/Press/Letters
    • NYSAPE Update Data Privacy
    • NYSAPE-Remembers-RegentJudithJohnson
    • NYSAPE PR OPT REMAINS STRONG
    • NYSAPE PR Elia Resigns
    • NYSAPE PR OPT OUT SCARE TACTICS
    • NYSAPE PR - Vote NO to APPR Bill
    • NYSAPE Letter to BOR - Labeling Schools
    • NYSAPE ESSA Public Comment
    • NYSAPE Repeal Ed Transformation Act-APPR PR
    • CSM-NYSAPE ESSA Opposition
    • NYSAPE SED-BOR EPIC FAIL
    • NYSAPE PR Schools NOT Penalized for Opt Outs
    • NYSAPE Local Diploma Expansion Public Comment
    • NYSAPE PR Educational and Racial Justice
    • NYSAPE PR Student Data Breach
    • NYSAPE-MPDA PR Diploma Expansion
    • NYSAPE PR ESSA - CC
    • NYSAPE PR 2017 Opt Out Results
    • ESSA Public Hearings
    • NYSAPE-PR-Remove-Elia
    • NYSAPE-PR-OptOut2017
    • NYSAPE-CSM-SED-PrivacyIssue
    • NYSED-Survey-Mtg-OTL-alert
    • NYSAPE-Memo-SED-ESSA-TestRefusals
    • NYSAPE-PR-Cuomo-DeVos-Budget
    • NYSAPE Post Election
    • NYSAPE PR CC Revisions Response
    • NYSAPE ESSA Public Comments to NYSED
    • NYSAPE Grad Req Public Comments to NYSED
    • NYSAPE ESSA Public Comments to USDOE
    • NYSAPE PR Score Analysis
    • NYSAPE PR Opt Out 16 Results
    • NYSAPE Mulgrew Response
    • NYSAPE PR Albany Refused To Fix Ed Laws
    • NYSAPE PR Fix Broken Laws
    • NYSAPE PR Elia Test Policy
    • NYSAPE Press Release School State Aid Loss
    • NYC Press Conference
    • NYSAPE PR Support New Ed Legislation
    • NYSAPE Chancellor Election
    • NYSAPE Response to HANY
    • NYSAPE PR Regent Candidates Support
    • NYSAPE Regent Candidates
    • NYSAPE Response to Tim Kremer NYSSBA
    • NYSAPE Press Release BOR Leadership
    • NYSAPE CCM Reaction Data Privacy
    • NYSAPE PR Board Regent Candidates
    • Board of Regents Candidate Info
    • NYSAPE Funding Response to USDOE
    • NYSAPE Press Release CC Taskforce
    • NYSAPE Press Release Survey Results
    • NYSAPE CC Survey Results
    • NYSAPE PR Elia Survey
    • NYSAPE PR Response to Obama
    • NYSAPE Duncan King Response
    • NYSAPE Press Release Cuomo Task Force Response
    • NYSAPE Press Release - Parents Respond to Cuomo-Tisch-Elia
    • NYSAPE Objects to Permanent Adoption of Flawed APPR Scheme
    • NYSAPE Press Release 2015 Scores
    • NYSAPE-Elia-Mtg-Recap
    • EliaMeetingHandout080415
    • NYSAPE Press Release No Relief in Sight Opt Out Will Grow
    • NYSAPE-PR-STOP CUOMO EDUCATION TAX CREDIT SCHEME
    • Albany Continues to Ignore Parents Ensuring the Opt­Out Movement Will Grow
    • NYSAPE-PR-NY-Parents-Have-Spoken
    • NYSAPE Public Service Announcement on CBS
    • New York State Parents Reject Proposed Legislation that Does Nothing to Protect Students
    • Thousands of Parents Stand Together to Reject Governor Cuomo’s
    • NYSAPE Members Addressing the NYS Legislature
    • NYSAPE Comments on ESEA Draft Legislation
    • NYSAPE FOIL Request for State Aid Budget Figures
    • New Yorkers Call for an Immediate Independent Investigation of Governor Cuomo
    • Press Release - Response to Governor's Letter on Public Education
    • NYSAPE Response Letter to Governor on Public Education
    • Parents and Educators Erupt in Anger Against Governor Cuomo's Vow to "Break" Our Public School System
    • 250,000 High-Stakes Test Boycotts Planned Statewide: NYS Parents Fight to Reclaim Student Education from Excessive Testing and Data Collection
    • Governor Cuomo’s Education Positions Aligned to Privatize Public Education
    • Parents and Educators Reject the Tests, the Scores and Corporate Agenda of NYSED & Pearson
    • Parents Outraged by APPR Albany Deal that Ignores the Children
    • State Test Refusals are exploding as Parents Discover Legislature Brings No Relief
    • NYSAPE Calls for End to Verbal Refusal Policies
    • New Yorkers Moved the Needle on the Board of Regents Vote & Process, but Not Enough
    • NYS Assembly Bill to Rein in “Regents’ Education Reform Agenda” is a Starting Point, but Not Nearly Enough
    • School Policies Regarding Test Refusals in Some NYS Districts Equate to Corporal Punishment for Students
    • NYSAPE Urges Legislators to Cast No Vote for Incumbents at Board of Regents Election if Nominated
    • Parents and Educators Outraged by Regents Unwillingness to Assume Responsibility and Change Course
    • New Yorker's Outraged by Governor's Flawed Common Core Panel
    • NYS Leadership Falls Short to Reverse Course of the Flawed Regent Education Reforms
    • NYSAPE Endorses Full Slate of Candidates for the Board of Regents
    • NYSAPE Reacts to NYSUT's Vote of No Confidence in Education Commissioner John King
    • NYS Allies for Public Education Endorses New Candidates for the Board of Regents
    • Governor Cuomo Continues to Avoid Addressing New Yorkers on Public Education
    • Community Forum Series - "Public Education Now: Reform and Resistance in NYS"
    • Senator Flanagan's Proposed Legislation Insult to the People of New York
    • New Yorkers Call on Governor Cuomo to Step Up to the Plate
    • Parents Demand More Accountability in the Appointment of Members of the Board of Regents
    • Parents Request Formal Public Meeting With NYS Board of Regents - Nov. 6, 2013
    • Twenty-Two Teachers' Unions Support Call for Education Commissioners Resignation
    • Past events
  • Take Action
    • NY Privacy Regs
    • NYSAPE-Call Albany to STOP APPR Bill
    • TAKE ACTION - NO TO APPR BILL
    • Action Alert - Give Back GATES Grant
    • NYSAPE ESSA Action Alert
    • ActionAlertNYSED-BOR-STOP-MISINFORMATION
    • Remove Commissioner Elia
    • Support OTL NY ESSA Plan
    • Education Legislation Action Alert
    • Field Test Action Alert
    • Support Ed Legislation to Repair Public Education
    • NYSAPE Legislative Agenda
    • Student Data Privacy Action Alert
    • Regents Position Paper
    • Legislators MUST Vote NO to Budget bill
    • Protect Our Schools Campaign
    • Resolution to Support the “I Refuse” Movement
    • Contact Your Legislators to Attend Regent Interviews
    • Demand Albany Stop Governor Cuomo and Chancellor Tisch's Assault on Public Education
    • Stop Mandatory Stand-alone Field Tests
    • DEMAND Education Commissioner John King and Regents Chancellor Merryl Tisch RESIGN
    • Regents Vote Scorecard
    • Scorecard For Board of Regents Vote and ACTION ALERT
    • Local PTA's Supporting Informational Meetings On Opting-Out of State Tests
    • Action Alert - Cuomo Must Step Up to the Plate
    • Support Call for Commissioner John King's Resignation
    • Action Alert - John King Must Resign
    • Resignation of NYS Education Commissioner John King
    • Return to Sender, statewide drive
    • Resolutions Against Testing
  • Student Data Privacy
  • FAQ's
    • If My Child Refuses State Tests Will My School Lose Funding?
    • If My Child Refuses State Tests Will My School Become an LAP?
  • Other Resources
    • The Early Catastrophe: The 30 Million Word Gap by Age 3
  • Press Release: Launch of NYS Allies - August 23, 2013
  • NYSAPE Objects to Permanent Adoption of Flawed APPR Scheme
  • T-shirt images
  • Oswego Letter
  • School Scare Tactics to Parents
  • 2019 ELA Teacher Feedback
  • 2019 Opt Out Factsheet
                                        2015-2016 NYS Refusal Letter

Student:   _____________________
School:     ______________________
Teacher:   _____________________
Grade:      ______

 
Dear ____________________,

We are writing today to formally inform the district of our decision to refuse to allow our child __________________, to participate in:

______ the 2016 New York State grade 3-8 ELA assessment

______ the 2016 New York State grade 3-8 math assessment

______ any stand alone New York State field testing in the 2015/16 school year (grades 3-12)

______ any local/benchmark assessment
used in the New York State teacher evaluation system administered in the fall, winter, and spring (may include STAR, AIMSweb, MAP/NWEA, SLO's) in the 2015/16 school year (grades k-12) (excluding spring 2016 middle school local assessments being used as a final grade)*

______ the 2016 grade 4 New York State science assessment

______ the 2016 grade 8 New York State science assessment

______ the 2016 New York State grade 3-8 & High School ELA & Math Alternative Assessment (NYSAA) 


Our refusal should in no way reflect on the teachers, administration, or school board. This was not an easy decision for us, but we feel that we have no other choice. We simply see these tests as harmful, expensive, and a waste of time and valuable resources.

We refuse to allow any data to be used for purposes other than the individual teacher’s own formative or cumulative assessment. We are opposed to assessments whose data is used to determine school ranking, teacher effectiveness, or any other purpose other than for the individual classroom teacher’s own use to improve his or her instruction.

We are aware that NYS Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia will direct you to talk us out of this decision in an effort to push forward the corporate takeover of public education.  We decline any such meeting or phone call.  Do not contact us for that reason.  To protect yourself, keep this letter as proof to Commissioner Elia that we have declined.  Instead, we invite you to attend an educational seminar detailing the expert research and reasons that have led parents to refuse participation in this harmful testing program.

Sincerely,



*an option for local assessments that parents and teachers agree are diagnostically useful, yet used for APPR purposes, could be to participate in the assessment while withholding the student's score from the overall evaluation score.




Download the Letter here:
refusal_letter_2015-2016.docx
File Size: 13 kb
File Type: docx
Download File


                                            

                                                  INSTRUCTIONS FOR REFUSAL LETTERS


The first thing you should do before filling out your refusal letter is find out which assessments your district administers that are tied to the evaluation plan (APPR). All teacher, principal, school, and district evaluations use state assessment scores (ELA, math, and science) to generate a score. Many include a separate local assessment as part of the score. Many different assessments can be used for the local part of the evaluation score. Some have always been used and some have been implemented only to satisfy the state requirements. Some are standardized, some computerized, and some are written by teachers. A few have diagnostic value, and many do not. Some parents may want to refuse any assessment tied to evaluations, some may not. Not all districts will honor the request to refuse local assessments. If your child is old enough to refuse on their own, refusals can still be accomplished in those cases. Another option is to allow your child to take the local assessment if the district agrees to withhold the score from the evaluation system. This would ensure authentic administration and scoring for the benefit of the child and classroom teacher. Please read up on the differences, speak to your child's teacher if you are unsure, and make the decision that best fits your child and your family. Refusal letters should go to the school principal. Copies can also be given to the teacher and the superintendent.

DESCRIPTIONS/TERMS:


APPR - Annual Professional Performance Review
Just like students, teachers, principals, schools, and districts are given a number grade at the end of every year that represents their effectiveness rating. These scores are used to rank, sort, and punish. Schools can be closed and teachers may lose their jobs or face disciplinary action based on the results.

LOCAL ASSESSMENTS 
In addition to state assessments, a portion of the APPR score can be based on local assessments. Local assessments are also called SLO's, and can include MAP, STAR, DIBELS, AIMSweb, and teacher created assessments.** These benchmark assessments are often administered the first week of school.

SLO/Benchmarks - Student Learning Objective
Educators who teach a course that does not have a state exam must use Student Learning Objectives to determine part of their evaluation.  Here is how this process works: Teachers that need to use an SLO must give a pre-assessment (benchmark) to their students.  This exam could be a district, regional or corporate created test that would assess the students in what content and skills the children should obtain at the end of the school year.  Basically it is giving the students an abbreviated version of the final exam.  Almost all the students will score poorly on the pre-assessment because they have not learned the curriculum yet and achieve a low baseline level. After the “pre-assessments” are scored, the districts make a prediction as to how their students will perform on the final assessment of the year. If the teacher does not meet this “expected outcome of performance”, then that educator loses points on his or her evaluation score.

NYS Alternative Assessments (NYSAA) is part of the New York State testing program that measures attainment of the State’s learning standards in the areas of English language arts (ELA), mathematics, science, and social studies for all students with severe disabilities in Grades 3-8 and high school. Beginning with the 2015-16 school year, NYSAA is using computer-based testing for the ELA and Math components which removes the individualization; however, it is continuing with a datafolio-style assessment for the Science and Social Studies content areas.

**Some districts have chosen to use assessments that are widely considered to be valuable diagnostic tools, such as the DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment) and the F&P (Fauntas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment), as their local assessment. Again, the concern is that once an assessment is used to rate a teacher, its diagnostic value decreases. This is a perfect case in which a parent could request to have the test administered, but the score withheld from the evaluation.


Proudly powered by Weebly