If you’re new to the site or to the opt out movement, please visit our Where to Start or High Stakes Testing pages to learn more about testing in Florida.
Lynne Rigby is the mother of five children, a former teacher, and a photographer who lives in Seminole County, Florida. Following is a piece she recently posted on your blog regarding high stakes teting:
WHY MY KIDS ARE “OPTING OUT” OF THE FSA
I sent my opt out letter to the middle school on Friday. And I have started this conversation many times with my friends, but you know how those go…you get sidetracked and somehow end up talking about what happened on Scandal last week.
First of all, everyone who knows me knows I’m a rule follower…always have been. I’m the “good girl.” Apparently, I’m the “white suburban mom.”My kids are also good kids. They don’t cause trouble, they follow rules. They have a strong sense of right and wrong. The decision for my kids to refuse the test was not taken lightly. I would never put my kids in a position to fight what they perceive as MY fight. I would never put them in a situation that causes them distress or could jeopardize their academic success.
What does opting out really mean? Florida statute dictates that kids in Florida Public Schools must participate in the state assessments. “Participate” is the key word here. When your child opts-out or refuses the test, they will sit for the test and sign in or break the seal, thus participating and then end the test. This will result in an NR2, which indicates that there is not enough data to score the test. This year, the Seminole County School Board has stated that students who opt out of FSA will not be harmed in any way and will be treated with the utmost respect. Therefore, my kids and I felt safe to opt-out.
Click here to read her full blog post, including the specific reasons she is opting out.
UnitED For Florida Children 