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?