Excerpt from "Chiefs for Change of Puppets for Propaganda."

"How is it possible for a group of education “leaders” to get away with writing such bull sh!t statements?  The paragraph above is pure propaganda.  The “RESEARCH”concerning high stakes testing and accountability “SHOWS US” that after 15 years of forced accountability and draconian sanctions that the achievement gap in American public schools is larger than ever before."  Tom Slekar, The Chalk Face

Full article:
 http://atthechalkface.com/2013/05/29/chiefs-for-change-or-puppets-for-propaganda/#comment-24070
 
 
According to an article I read today at http://parentsacrossamerica.org/pennsylvania-standardized-tests-burden-schools-and-students/, Pennsylvania's System of School Assessment tests (PSSAs--Pennsylvania's version of NCLB's high stakes/standardized testing) are not mandatory.  Parents can choose to opt their child(ren) out of the testing.  "Under Pennsylvania Code Title 22 Chapter 4, section 4 (d)(5), parents have the right to opt out of testing for their children. The exemption is “religious,” but the Pennsylvania Department of Education confirmed this includes any moral, psychological, philosophical or even medical objection. The reason cannot be challenged."  (Michele Gray, Parents Across America.)  I'm interested to see how many other states have such provisions.  If you know, please share.