Are you planning a testing-related event? Contact us to post your event, and/or if you need help getting guest speakers for an event. Many of these events were recorded so you can watch the events you missed!
A moderated circle discussion about the importance of opting out of the NYS tests. Bring your questions, concerns, and ideas.
NYC Opt Out will host a Zoom teach-in/info session on the New York State 3rd-8th grade tests and opt out.
SPECIAL GUEST!!! Former NYCDOE principal and current US Congressman Jamaal Bowman, who will update us on proposed federal legislation related to the testing mandate.
Register HERE
Join us to discuss the steady increase in standardized testing & test prep in NYC schools and how you can join us to push for change.
Register HERE.
Join educators from Earth School and other schools for a discussion about the new academic screeners that NYC has mandated be administered to all grades K and up. Many Earth School families have expressed a desire to be able to opt out of these screeners. Come learn why! State tests will also be discussed!
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwod-utqjIvG9PC5rhWLn2IFJBtxvUeWI_W
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Sponsored by: District One Community Education Council
LINK TO REGISTER: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-racist-history-of-standardized-testing-tickets-151549746371?fbclid=IwAR3-J4jNLX2bNUs76cjoo7eWfS1hv_Rk0-OH1Yb4TJWAljMa33uiA2FaZSI
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85693259333?pwd=ZTZpOEgveERaS0N0ampiZmFuZE95QT09
Meeting ID: 856 9325 9333
Passcode: 302000
One tap mobile
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
NYC Opt Out held a virtual press conference on April 12th. This year, to opt out of the tests, families can DO NOTHING! You are automatically opted out.
The NYCDOE, on the other hand, needs to DO MORE and DO BETTER:
stop schools from haranguing parents with robocalls and emails about opting in
make it clear that admissions will not be affected & that no negative consequences will ensue for not opting in
disabuse parents of the notion that they need state test scores to secure services for their children with special needs
puncture the myth that we need the tests to gauge "learning loss"
These tests are not benign instruments that exist for children to "practice" for upcoming tests or to prove their fortitude. They should not be normalized as such, ever. If that kind of practice really matters to you, google some past tests and download them. Buy a test prep book. But don't fool yourself into thinking that what will come from this (whether practice or the real thing) is true learning or measurement of your child's grasp of the standards. And be aware that when children "practice" on the real tests in school, that means less time and staff for actual instruction. And not just on test days, but also for scoring days. It means perpetuation of the idea of meritocracy, which basically means for my child to win, yours must lose. Is that the world we want for our children?
High-Stakes Testing Youth-led townhall about how it works, its racist origins, and why we challenge it.
REGISTER HERE
Event recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlylVvc4pRU
Presented by Integrate NYC and NYC Opt Out
Planned by youth for a national audience, with Nikole Hannah-Jones & Noliwe Rooks
Join Teens Take Charge and the UCLA Civil Rights Project for a virtual national summit focused on racial justice in K-12 public schools. Planned by youth for a broad national audience, come learn directly from youth activists on the ground and adult leaders who have been fighting for school equity for years.
REGISTER HERE
Find recordings of this event here: https://www.teenstakecharge.com/summit
LINK TO REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT
Laleña Garcia and Caryn Davidson, author and illustrator of What We Believe: A Black Lives Matter Principles Activity Book join Jesse Hagopian and Denisha Jones, co-authors of Black Lives Matter at School, as they share their expertise on teaching Black Lives Matter in the classroom as well as provide an in-depth look into their books.
Join ATN and the authors of Black Lives Matter at School, Denisha Jones and Jesse Hagopian, joined by Chris Rogers and teacher-activist Awo Okaikor Aryee-Price for a conversation that will help educators vision their approach to Black Lives Matter at School week of action (February 1, 2021 to February 5, 2021). This event will be live-streamed to YouTube and will not be recorded. We invite you to reserve a ticket at the price point that works best for you and your circumstances. We look forward to your attendance!
The Board of Regents and State Education Department will host regional meetings across the state to gather feedback on what a state diploma should signify to ensure educational excellence and equity for every student in New York State. The meetings are an integral part of Phase I in the Board and Department’s review of graduation measures and will offer opportunities for stakeholders and members of the public to share input.
This NYC meeting will be led by Chancellor Betty A. Rosa and will include the opportunity for attendees to break out into small groups to discuss and provide feedback on each of five guiding questions:
What do we want students to know and to be able to do before they graduate?
How do we want students to demonstrate such knowledge and skills?
How do you measure learning and achievement (as it pertains to the answers to #2 above) to ensure they are indicators of high school completion?
How can measures of achievement accurately reflect the skills and knowledge of our special populations, such as students with disabilities and English language learners?
What course requirements or examinations will ensure that students are prepared for college and careers or civic engagement?
For more information please go to the NYSED website.
The Board of Regents and State Education Department will host regional meetings across the state to gather feedback on what a state diploma should signify to ensure educational excellence and equity for every student in New York State. The meetings are an integral part of Phase I in the Board and Department’s review of graduation measures and will offer opportunities for stakeholders and members of the public to share input.
This NYC meeting will be led by Chancellor Betty A. Rosa and will include the opportunity for attendees to break out into small groups to discuss and provide feedback on each of five guiding questions:
What do we want students to know and to be able to do before they graduate?
How do we want students to demonstrate such knowledge and skills?
How do you measure learning and achievement (as it pertains to the answers to #2 above) to ensure they are indicators of high school completion?
How can measures of achievement accurately reflect the skills and knowledge of our special populations, such as students with disabilities and English language learners?
What course requirements or examinations will ensure that students are prepared for college and careers or civic engagement?
For more information please go to the NYSED website.
This event is FREE but please register to attend HERE.
Learn how to opt out of standardized tests for grades 3–8, connect with Opt Out leaders statewide, and support key legislation
Open to parents and students alike, this event will offer:
an overview on how to opt out of state standardized tests
data and testimony on the importance of opting out and alternative forms of assessment
tips on how to have conversations about Opt Out with others in your school community
action you can take to support Opt Out legislation
Join us for an evening of consciousness-raising and community-building!
5:30 doors open
6:00 Welcome by Senator Robert Jackson and Assembly Member Harvey Epstein
6:15 Mechanics of Opt Out Today by NYC Opt Out and Long Island Opt Out
6:35 Testimonials from students, parents, and teachers
6:50 Legislative Solutions by Sen. Jackson and AM Epstein
7:00 How to Get More Involved by NYC Opt Out and New York State Allies for Public Education (NYSAPE)
SIGN UP TO PARTICIPATE HERE.
Join us for a Student Forum on advancing integration in NYC high schools, featuring student testimony and town-hall-style Q&A with DOE officials. The DOE will be represented by Deputy Chancellor Josh Wallack, among others. Student leaders from Teens Take Charge will moderate and participate in the discussion.
When: January 30 from 5-7PM
Where: Bayard Rustin Educational Complex (351 W 18th St, New York, NY 10011)
Who: Open to all who RSVP (note: only students will be allowed to ask questions)
*Light food will be provided
**Closest trains: 1 @18th Street, 2/3 @14th Street, A/C/E/L @8th Avenue
This event has been planned in partnership with the NYC DOE Student Voice Team within the Division of Community Affairs.
Tuesday January 21, Park Slope. Carol Burris, the director of the Network for Public Education, will be conversing with noted education historian Ravitch about her latest, Slaying Goliath: the Passionate Resistance to Privatization and the Fight to Save America's Public Schools. Come learn and see for yourself why a historian has over 100,000 followers onTwitter! Details: https://www.communitybookstore.net/Ravitch
Hosted by Community Education Council District 3 and Community Education Council District 4.
Join the Alliance for Quality Education and parent-leaders in a conversation about educational priorities in our community:
Full funding for public schools
School Climate
Ending the school-to-prison pipeline
Culturally responsive education
The business of testing
With special guest New York State Senator Brian A. Benjamin
Parents have the right to opt out of testing in grades 3-8. Why would one want to opt out? What’s the impact of doing so for your child and your school? This is an opportunity for parents to ask questions about testing, learn more about the Opt Out movement, and consider the implications of high-stakes standardized tests for education equity and social justice.
Childcare available. If you are bringing a kid, please email us at sbpresist@gmail.com and let us know their age so we can make sure we’re prepared. Donations to pay workers are welcome but not required.
Robert Jackson was a District 6 School
Board President when he launched the Campaign for Fiscal Equity school funding lawsuit in 2006. NYS’s highest court ruled that $5.5 billion must be committed for NYS and NYC public schools but this has yet to be fulfilled.
Ten years later, Jackson walked 150 miles to Albany to highlight the cause, and in November, he ran for NYS Senate and won through the grassroots efforts of parent groups.
Join us to learn about what is needed to hold the State accountable to fulfilling the funding that our school communities are owed and deserve.
You will also hear how private interests keeping public education funding at bay is connected to the use of standardized testing.
Get informed and advocate for the funding our schools deserve. The new State budget will be voted on the first of April, and Cuomo is cutting public school funding again.
Join educators and parents to discuss the NYS tests in ELA and Math.
Did you know every parent has the right to refuse the state tests for grades 3-8? Why would parents refuse a test? How will your actions on the test affect your child, your school and the state? What role do state tests play in integration and equity?
Join educators and parents to unpack the issues around NY State testing in grades 3-8 so that you can make an informed choice for your child.
Open to the public. Childcare will be provided.
Hear from teachers and parents about state testing, transparency, equity, parental rights, and the role of testing in public schools.
Open to the public. Childcare will be provided.
Did you know every parent has the right to refuse the NYS tests for grades 3-8? Why would parents refuse a test? What are the consequences for your child, your school and the state? Join educators and parents to unpack the issues around NYS testing in grades 3-8.
Open to the public. Childcare will be provided.
In this conversation, we will hear from teachers about what the preparation for the NY State ELA and math exams looks like from the inside of schools. We will provide information on opting out of the tests so that guardians can make an informed choice.
The conversation will be conducted in English and Spanish.
Hosted by Jackson Heights People for Public Schools
En esta conversación, aprenderemos de los maestros sobre la preparación para las pruebas anuales del estado de Nueva York desde adentro de las escuelas. Proporcionaremos informacion sobre como rechazar a los examenes para que los guardianes puedan tomar una decisión informada.
Miercoles, el 27 de febrero 2019
8:00-9:30 PM
Lugar: 72-24 Broadway, el último piso, Jackson Heights, encima del metro E/F/R/M/7 Roosevelt Ave/74th Street
La conversación será en inglés y español.
Patronocido por: Jackson Heights People for Public Schools
Where New York City parents can learn about high-stakes testing in New York State and find tools for organizing their school communities
