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Endorse National Resolution Against High Stakes Testing

This resolution is modeled on the resolution passed by more than 300 Texas school boards as of April 17, 2012. It was written by Advancement Project; Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund; FairTest; Forum for Education and Democracy; MecklenburgACTS; Deborah Meier; NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc; National Education Association; New York Performance Standards Consortium; Tracy Novick; Parents Across America; Parents United for Responsible Education-Chicago; Diane Ravitch; Race to Nowhere; Time Out From Testing; and United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries. We encourage organizations and individuals to publicly endorse it. Organizations should modify it as needed for their local circumstances while also endorsing this national version.

Endorse the resolution here >>

Here are other ways you can help >>

Printer friendly resolution >>

Join the Conversation about Issues in CMS

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A Pause in Testing Madness

CMS has decided to jettison the 52 new tests that our children were subjected to last year. This means that our students and teachers will not have to waste more time and energy on this particular layer of intrusive and unproductive testing.

We want to thank all of you for stepping up and letting CMS know loud and clear that parents and community members did not support this kind of testing madness, which took valuable time away from genuine teaching and learning, and which had no track record of success. Without this kind of community voice, H-546 would have passed and CMS would likely still be racing down that track to nowhere.

Unfortunately, the fight is not over. CMS is still developing tests in art, music and a few other areas. More important, the state of North Carolina is working on a testing program that resembles last year's CMS effort in many ways. Testing madness is also driven by federal actions, such as the Race to the Top program. In coming months, we will be monitoring these arenas and we expect we will be asking for your help again whenever it seems that community input will make a difference. We hope you will all stick with us on this long campaign. Observer article on testing change >>

High stakes standardized testing reduces learning time, fosters a narrowed "teaching to the test" mentality, and has never been shown to improve either teaching or learning (for the research that backs up these conclusions, see "Why More Standardized Tests Won't Improve Education," written by Mecklenburg ACTS' Pamela Grundy and posted on the Parents Across America website).

How to Sign up to Speak at a Board of Education Meeting
Citizens have the opportunity to address the Board of Education at the first regular board meeting of each month. Speakers will be given three minutes. Call Board Services Office at 980-343-5139 before noon of meeting day or see staff personnel prior to the start of the meeting to register.

Board of Education emails:
Erika Elllis Stewart <ericka.ellis-stewart@cms.k12.nc.us>
Mary McCray <maryt.mccray@cms.k12.nc.us>
Rhonda Lennon <rhonda.lennon@cms.k12.nc.us>
Tim Morgan <tim.morgan@cms.k12.nc.us>
Tom Tate <tom.tate@cms.k12.nc.us>
Joyce Waddell <joyce.waddell@cms.k12.nc.us>
Richard McElrath <richard.mcelrath@cms.k12.nc.us>
Eric C. Davis <ericc.davis@cms.k12.nc.us>
Amelia Stinson-Wesley <a.stinson-wesley@cms.k12.nc.us>

MecklenburgACTS Opposes State Pay-for-Performance Legislation

• Use the State's bill lookup to follow the progress of the legislation. Type in H 546 >>
• MecklenburgACTS statement >>

The bill has passed the Education Committeean by full House on April 28, 2011.

Express your concerns about House Bill HB 546 "Alternative Salary Plans for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools." Tell them that the bill creates more than 50 standarized tests and allows a special salary rules for teachers in Mecklenburg Co. On to the NC Senate.

click here for Senate Education Committee emails>>

click here for list of all House members emails>>

Learn More about Pay for Performance

If you have questions about the petition or would like someone to come to speak to a group about it, please e-mail us.

Printer friendly version of the petition available here >>

• For more about Pay for Performance, with links to research studies click here >>
• To download a printable fact sheet on Pay for Performance, click here >>
• For Charlotte Observer coverage of Pay for Performance and "value added" calculation in CMS, click here >>
• Read the Charlotte Observer opinion piece by Pamela Grundy and Carol Sawyer "Stand Up for Teachers Now." >>

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