New York Principals Send An Open Letter to Parents

An open letter signed by 545 Principals across New York State was addressed to the parents of elementary, middle, and high school students in New York.  They address several points:

1. NYS testing has increased dramatically.
2. The tests were too long.
3. Ambiguous questions appeared throughout the exams.
4. Children have reacted viscerally to the tests.
5. The low passing rate was predicted.
6. The college readiness benchmark is irresponsibly inflated.
7. State measures are contradictory.
8. Students labeled as failures are forced out of classes.
9. The achievement gap is widening.
10. the tests are putting financial strains on schools.
11. The tests are threatening other state initiatives.

They listed several things they did not know.

1. How these tests will help their students.
2. How to use these tests to improve student skills or understanding.
3. The underlying cause of low test scores.
4. What to expect next year.
5. How much the tests are costing already-strained taxpayers.

You can read the letter in full below: