School Testing Raises Questions, 153 Students Opt Out of PARCC Test

    While many Central School System students take standardized tests this week, parents, school officials, and the Central community are dealing with the potential results.  The tests, known as PARCC, are used in part to rank schools, and Central has been one of the top performing systems in the state.
    This week Central parents “opted out” over 150 students from the testing, which is not required as a part of the students’ grade.  The primary objection is that the testing is a part of “Common Core”, an approach to education which many parents do not support.
    The Central community broke away from EBR Parish schools to have a greater ability to improve education in Central, so it is not surprising that Central had one of the highest “opt out” rates on this week’s state testing.
    Superintendent Mike Faulk issued the following statement on the matter: 

School Officials Fear the High Number of Non-Testers Will Cause the State to Lower the District’s Scores 
Press Release from Central Community School System
    The parents of 153 students who are currently enrolled in Central Middle and Central Intermediate schools have opted their students out of the PARCC standardized testing that is taking place this week in public schools across the state.
    The Partnership of Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers test, which is associated with Common Core State Standards, has replaced the LEAP tests for math and English Language Arts for many students. However, unlike the LEAP tests, the PARCC tests administered to this state’s 4th and 8th graders will not be “high stakes” tests, meaning that students will not be passed or failed based on the results.
    While the scores may not directly affect the students, they will be used by the Louisiana Department of Education to determine district and school performance scores.  Under the state’s current accountability system, schools will receive a “zero” for each student who doesn’t take the test.  
    “Our school system clearly respects and values our parents’ rights to make decisions for their children and their education.  But we are deeply concerned that the high number of ‘opt outs’ will have a significantly negative impact on our district and school scores,” said Central Community School System Superintendent Michael Faulk.
    Faulk said the 153 “opt outs” account for 7.5% of the total student population in grades 3-8 that are scheduled to be tested this week.  
    Of the 153 non-testers, 104 are at Central Middle School – 28 in sixth grade, 32 in seventh grade and 44 in eighth grade – and 49 are at Central Intermediate School – 15 in third grade, 13 in fourth grade and 21 in fifth grade.  
    Faulk said his district’s “opt out” numbers well exceed the counts at many districts that are much larger, which will put his district at a distinct disadvantage.     Faulk said the “zero” scores awarded to these students, in accordance with the state’s accountability guidelines, will impact the school performance scores at 4 of 5 schools in the Central Community School District.  In addition to scores for Central Middle and Central Intermediate being impacted, he noted that the school performance scores awarded to Bellingrath Hills Elementary and Tanglewood Elementary, both pre-K to grade 2 schools, are based on the standardized test scores awarded to those students in grades 3, 4 and 5 at Central Intermediate who advanced from their respective campuses.
    Central Community Schools earned a District Performance Score of 108.2 last year, to rank as the state’s No. 3 highest performing public school district and earn an “A” grade.  Four of the five schools in the district also earned “A” grades – Central Middle School scored 105.6 points and Central Intermediate scored 106 points.  Bellingrath Hills Elementary and Tanglewood Elementary received the same score and letter grade as Central Intermediate because they are considered feeder schools for that campus.
    “Under the state’s scoring system, there’s no way our district won’t see a significant drop in nearly every category,” Faulk said.  “Not only will we receive zeros for the non-testers, but we’ll lose points for these students not meeting the growth expectations set for them by the state, which in turn will not allow the schools to meet their growth expectations nor the overall district to meet its growth expectation.”
    Faulk said he issued a letter on Friday to the parents of all students in grades 3-8, asking “if you have submitted an ‘opt out’ form, please reconsider your decision.”  
    He wrote that the new assessment will be challenging, but “our staff has prepared your child to do his or her very best.”  He also noted that the assessment would not impact the child’s classroom grade, it would not be considered in determining the child’s promotion to the next grade, and that all accommodations would be provided during the assessment for those students who currently receive classroom accommodations.
    “I know our teachers, principals and school curriculum leaders have worked very hard this year to prepare our students to perform well on standardized tests.  I know we are all disappointed that so many students have been ‘opted out,’ and that the ultimate scores may not be a true reflection of our achievements.  That will be unfortunate,” Faulk said.