Three years later, and parents in Delaware still opt their children out of the Smarter Balanced Assessment. The words I wrote to all the superintendents and charter school leaders still ring true with every fiber of my being. I still believe the Smarter Balanced Assessment is a flawed test and should not be used in any capacity in our schools. I still believe, given careful thought and deliberation, parents should exercise their fundamental right if they want to opt their child out of this state assessment. Some of the names might be different now, but I would tell any of our school leaders the same thing today.
Dear Superintendents and Heads of School of Delaware,
As you have no doubt heard, there is a movement afoot in Delaware whereby parents of students are opting their children out of the Smarter Balanced Assessment. Some of you have already taken a stand for or against parent opt out, or your respective school boards have done so for you. I write to you today on the eve of the bulk of the standardized assessment season.
Some of you I’ve had contact with in the past. Some of you don’t like me. I get that completely. But I think we all have one thing in common, and that is wanting the best for the children of Delaware. Our methods and ways of going about that vary in great degrees, but at the end of the day, we want students to be successful.
I will be very frank with all of you:…
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