Smithtown Schools Join Movement Against High-Stake Testing

Smithtown school district officials have officially joined part of a growing movement against high-stakes standardized testing on Long Island Tuesday night.

Smithtown Board of Education voted unanimously to approve a resolution that challenges New York State Educational Department review its current system and the federal government to overhaul the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, better known as the "No Child Left Behind Act." 

"It's a lengthy resolution that basically says we're not in favor of opting out of state testing but we have major concerns about it and what New York State has done to our kids," said Gladys Waldron, president of Smithtown's Board of Education. 

The resolution adopted on Tuesday night, in part, reads: 

... Whereas, we do not oppose accountability in public schools and point with pride to the stellar performance of our students and teachers, but believe that standardized test dominate instructional time and block our ability to make progress toward a world-class education system. 
Resolved, that Smithtown Central School District calls on Governor Cuomo, Commissioner King, the State Legislature, and the Board of Regents to reexamine the public school accountability systems in this state, including the Annual professional Performance Review (APPR) and to develop a system based on multiple forms of assessment which do not require extensive standardized testing, more accurately reflects the broad range of student learning and is used to support students and improve schools. 
Roughly 40 school districts throughout New York State have already passed similar resolutions, according to Waldron, including the Comsewogue and Three Village school districts. 

The board's motion came minutes after parent advocate Karla Greco read a scathing letter against the Common Core and New York State testing,and criticizing school officials for not fighting it. 

"The BOE is in place to make up the curriculum for our students, we do not expect you to take on a federal national standard without considering the consequences. What will the BOE's joe be if we just blindly adopt federal standards," Greco said, saying Common Core is "like a cancer." 

She expressed admiration for Rockville Center principal Carol Burris, who has been a leader in Long Island's rally against Common Core. 

"I would just once like an educator in this school district to stand up with the parents and stop double talking and yessing us to death because they are afraid for losing their job for stating to the parents what they really feel about Common Core," Greco said. 

Waldron said Smithtown school officials were first asked to support the resolution in April, made the decision to wait until they had received and reviewed the results of the new 2013 state assessments. 

Judith Elias, the new interim superintendent for Smithtown schools, supported the board's decision. 

" I applaud the Board of Education and educators of this district for considering taking a formal stand in the idea of high-stakes testing and how what it is, and how it can be detrimental to our students," Elias said.