In the 2014–2015 academic year, New Jersey was one of 20 states that adopted the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers to replace the HSPA and previous assessments in the elementary and middle schools, based on the Common Core standards. According to the PARCC website, it provides better information for teachers and parents to identify where a student needs help, or is excelling, so they are able to enhance instruction to meet individual student needs.
In that academic year, parents refusing to let their children take the test became a trend around the nation. Haddonfield Public Schools saw 25 percent of students who were able to take the test either refuse to do so or have invalid test scores, the highest rate being in 11th grade with 73 percent of students refusing or having invalid scores.
New Jersey is now one of 11 states still participating in PARCC, and the Haddonfield school district is planning to start testing April 11. Despite creating and administering an action plan for PARCC participation — which was required by the state since the district did meet the 95 percent participation rate last year — parents continue to stand against it.
“Our ultimate goal is to teach children 21st century learning, inspiring kids to create and innovate rather than regurgitate,” said Mark Cavana, a parent who will refuse PARCC for his children.
The movement in Haddonfield isn’t organized as a specific coalition with a single message, according to resident and parent Stephanie LeGrand, who is also refusing the PARCC for her children, but more of an informal group of neighbors and parents sharing their concerns with each other.
Some of the reasons parents are citing for refusing the test for their children include seeing a narrowing of the curriculum to focus predominantly on tested subjects; concern about the amount of time test prep and administration are taking away from meaningful learning; concerns about the stakes associated with the test, which experts have expressed serious doubts about with no evidence to support the test accomplishes any of its claims; concerns about financial costs of administering PARCC; and seeing no benefit to their individual child in taking the test because the teacher already knows if core standards are mastered from routine in-class unit tests.
“Why create the stress of taking a test, especially for my younger son, when you don’t have the computer skills needed? We primarily want to avoid stress … Parents need to teach children to evaluate a situation, and if it doesn’t make sense, why participate?” Cavana said.
“There are so many wonderful things happening in education. We have a wonderful school with amazing teachers. I am concerned that these amazing resources are not being used to their potential in having to implement and teach toward this test,” parent Sharon Domenico said.
Superintendent Richard Perry feels there is a misunderstanding in terms of PARCC and how the assessment is critical to gather data on teaching and learning for the 21st century. He also said much of the controversy with PARCC has to do with the Common Core State Standards required by New Jersey schools and how much testing takes place in terms of time.
“There is an apparent misunderstanding about the importance of these assessments in terms of collecting data in regard to teaching and learning, along with improving curricula in order to further support educational excellence in school systems,” Perry said.
According to LeGrand, most parents recognize the value of some testing, but many feel the financial and instructional cost of PARCC far outweighs any possible minor benefit to schools.
“I have nothing against standardized testing if they are truly meant to assess academic progress and if they truly add to the value of the child’s education. So far, I have been unable to see any of this with the PARCC exam,” Domenico said.
“As compared with last year, I am hearing from more parents with elementary-aged children expressing concern as they see how this test is changing their children’s daily learning experience,” LeGrand said.
The number of refusals for the PARCC test as of now is confidential, according to Perry. Those numbers are only reported to the state and the board.
If parents want to refuse the test, they need to notify their child’s school principal and teacher in writing.
Students who have refused PARCC will be put in a monitored and separate classroom where testing is not taking place. There will be no instructional activities going on, and students will be permitted to read independently.
According to Perry, there are no consequences for students who refuse to take the test. However, it could impact the district negatively in the future.
“With a high number of refusals, this will significantly affect our performance and rankings as a high-performing school district, in addition to possibly affecting students applying and being accepted into prestigious colleges/universities due to a decrease in the reputation of Haddonfield Memorial High School if these refusals continue to grow,” Perry said.
To learn more about PARCC, HPS’ presentations and information on PARCC, visit parcchmhs.wordpress.com. To learn more about PARCC and refusals visit www.saveourschoolsnj.org/parcc-faq/.
