8/10/2019 Opt Out Flyer for Distribution - PBA Explanation Included

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DO WHATS BEST FOR YOUR CHILDREN OPT THEM OUT OF COMMON CORE-ALIGNED PSSAS AND KEYSTONE TESTS !

WHY OPT OUT??? Students spend enormous amounts of time taking, and preparing for, these tests. Several weeks/year are

the norm. This is done at the expense of more constructive educational agendas. Teacher evaluations are tied to test results which causes teachers to teach to the test , an educationally

unsound practice. Curriculum is driven by the tests rather than by programs of study that would more appropriately meet theindividual and intellectual needs of students.

The high-stakes aspects of these tests often inflict overwhelming anxieties and impose unnecessarypressures on both teachers and students, taking much of the joy out of the learning process.

Common Core-aligned PSSAs are developmentally inappropriate, especially in the lower grades. The high-stakes aspect of the tests has been known to promote a culture of mistrust and cheating within

certain school communities.

If enough students opt out, it will send Harrisburg a message that parents will no longer

tolerate subjecting their children to the unacceptable and educationally unsoundamount of high-stakes testing that is currently taking place in Pennsylvania s schools.

HOW??? IT ISNT THAT DIFFICULT! DIRECTIONS ARE BELOW In Pennsylvania, the only basis for a parent to opt out his/her child from a statewide assessment is if , afterinspecting the test, the parent determines it to be in conflict with his/her religious beliefs. It is important torealize that no religious affiliation or discussion of specifics is required to be shared with the school district .Steps # 1-4 should be followed, and are described in the ( *) source noted below:

1. The parent (or guardian) must write to the building principal within two weeks of the test, requesting thats/he be able to review it to determine if his/her child should be opted out.

2. The parent will then review the test at school and sign a confidentiality agreement.3. Having determined that the test is in conflict with his/her religious beliefs, the parent should submit a

written request to the Superintendent for his/her child to be excused from the test. Wording of the request can be as simple as:

On [ DATE ] I had the opportunity to review the PSSA/Keystone Exam and pursuant toPennsylvania Code Title 22 Chapter 4, section 4.4 (d)(5) I am hereby exercising my right as aparent to have my child, [ NAME ], excused from PSSA/Keystone testing because of religiousand philosophical beliefs.

4. The Superintendent will review the request and cannot deny it if these procedures are followed.

The following sources provide additional information. Reading ELC fact sheet is strongly suggested.

Google the words : ELC fact sheet opting out of standardized tests (describes follow-up for Keystones) *http://optoutpa.blogspot.com/2014/08/how-to-opt-out-of-pssa-and-keystone.html http://nopacommoncore.com/opt-info/ E-Mail for real-time answers to specific questions and the PBA noted below: optoutpatest@gmail.com

Note that students who opt out of the Keystones will be required to do a Project Based Assessment (PBA) which is a sof activities that a student completes independently of classroom instruction in order to demonstrate proficiency in the

content area and meet state graduation requirements.

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