ICE PAC (Parent Action/Education Advocacy Committee)

2017-18 TEST SCORES RELEASED--Nearly a month into this school year, NY State finally released test scores from last year's 3rd-8th grade tests. Despite a massive campaign to depress opt outs (via commercials--run by pro-business, pro-charter lobby groups, via misinformation--courtesy of the state and city, and via intimidation--reported by parents who reported being called into the principal's office to retract their test refusal letters) the rate of refusal continued to hover around the 20% mark. (The percentage has ranged from a high of 22% to this year's 18%.) New York City, as usual, lagged far behind the rest of the state, however there was a slight uptick in the number of refusals here to 4.4%. While I haven't been able to break down the stats yet, I imagine that our school would continue to have some of the highest numbers per capita, with a rate of over 80%. (I have to check with Pete for exact figures.)

As a parent involved in ICE PAC, I'd like to thank all of you who contributed to that number, and in so doing, stood up for more equitable and authentic assessments--and therefore more engaging pedagogy--for our children and the children of this city. To my great surprise, even the New York Post printed an article critical of the tests. Less surprising, but very informative, was the take Leonie Haimson (of the group Class Size Matters) posted on her blog.  

Would you like to help organize this year's opt out campaign or other pro-progressive ed policies? Contact Kemala to get on the mail list for ICE PAC!