New York State saw more parents opt their students out of state assessments in 2016.
From WHEC News Channel 10:
The percentage of Common Core opt-outs increased in 2016. In 2015 about 20 percent of the students statewide decided to opt out of the Common Core tests. This past spring about 21 percent of students opted out.
Opt outs were down in many Monroe County districts, including Brockport, Fairport, Pittsford and Spencerport. As for the results – only 6.7 percent of Rochester students were proficient in English. That is the worst percentage across New York’s big five school districts. Rochester also had the lowest percentage of students proficient in math among the big five.
In April we spoke with State Education Commissioner Mary Ellen Elia. She noted that this year changes were made to the tests to try and bring those opt-outs down. Next year even more changes might come.
“We’re going to continue to have teachers involved in the assessments and to a greater degree next year,” says Elia. “We’re looking at the length of the assessments. We also are moving to have more of the questions released online immediately after the assessment.”