Re:

New Resolution- Rethinking High Stakes Testing

John McKenna- Niagara Region PTA Advocacy Chair

June 11, 2013

Dear Dr. McKenna,

We thank you and the Niagara Region PTA for your recent submission of the resolution, Rethinking
High Stakes Testing. We share many of your concerns regarding the overemphasis on high stakes
testing decisions and its exacerbation of our current funding crisis; however, we are not able to support
the resolution as written.

NYS PTA cannot accept the first resolve because it conflicts with both NYS PTA and National PTA
positions. This resolution does not define what is meant by the term high stakes testing. That said,
such testing in NYS includes all mandated assessments in elementary through secondary grades,
including Regents exams. Calling for a moratorium on Regents exams would jeopardize graduation for
many thousands of high school seniors throughout the state.

Furthermore, NYS PTA cannot call for a moratorium on testing as the federal government mandates
assessment of all students in grades 3 to 8 in ELA & math and in grades 4 and 8 in science (as per No
Child Left Behind (NCLB)/ the Elementary & Secondary Education Act ( ESEA) and Race to the Top
(RTTT). NYS PTA cannot demand that a portion of a federally mandated assessment program be
suspended within the state.

In regards to the call in Resolve #2 for ending agreements with a private company, there is no backup
documentation provided to support this position. Moreover, it is not NYS PTA policy to condemn a
private entity or adopt a position based on such individualized statements. NYS PTA resolutions
articulate specific positions that must be consistent with basic PTA policies and procedures.

Resolve #3 calls for elimination of the 40% portion of APPR teacher & principal evaluations based on
NYS assessments & student learning objectives. The NYS PTA Position Paper Use of Student
Assessment & Impact on High-Stakes Educational Decisions, adopted in March 2013, emphasizes the
60% of APPR based on non-test measures of teacher/principal performance but does not call for
eliminating the other 40% based on state & local assessments as this resolve does. This resolution
therefore conflicts with an adopted NYS PTA position and cannot be supported by NYS PTA.

Although we do agree with several points made in this resolution: the overreliance
on standardized tests as indicators of student achievement, the stress level associated with use of
results, and the narrowing of curriculum to those areas tested, such as ELA & math, NYS PTA has
adopted positions on those concerns as found in the Position Paper Standards, Testing, and the Whole
Child. Thus our public policy already provides a basis for advocating on these concerns, as we
encourage members to do.

Regards,

Kelly Chiarella
NYSPTA Resolutions Specialist